Warren Central’s first step toward a state championship was an awkward, stumbling pratfall.

The Vikings only managed six hits, committed three errors, and lost 5-1 to Grenada in Game 1 of their Class 6A play-in round series Thursday night.

It was a rough start to the postseason for Warren Central (21-7), which had its best regular season in seven years and aspirations of contending for a state title.

“We didn’t do what we’re supposed to do. We’re supposed to come over here and get a win, especially at home. Now we’ve got to fight back one game at a time,” WC coach Conner Douglas said. “I like our chances. Our bullpen is fine. We only had to use one arm tonight.”

Game 2 of the best-of-three series is tonight at 6 at Grenada. If Warren Central wins, it’ll force Game 3 Saturday afternoon at Viking Field. If Grenada wins to complete the sweep, it’ll begin a long offseason for the Vikings.

“We’ve got to get off the bus tomorrow. I like our chances if we just make the plays. We gave them four of their five runs. They didn’t do anything crazy. They didn’t square balls up,” Douglas said.

Grenada (15-7) worked its smallball game to perfection in Game 1.

Three of the Chargers’ five hits against WC starter John Morgan McRight came on bunts. They got two runs in the third inning on a passed ball and sacrifice fly to take the lead. A hit batter, error and squeeze bunt in the fifth stretched their advantage to 4-0.

WC got its run when Marcus Ragan swiped home on a double steal, but Grenada’s Josh Greer hit an RBI single in the sixth to make it 5-1.

WC had a few runners on in the later innings, but couldn’t produce anything from it. Hunter Simrall lined into an inning-ending double play in the sixth, then a two-out single by Brooks Boolos went for naught in the seventh as Hunter Bell flied out to center to end the game.

Grenada pitcher Caleb Morgan held the Vikings to just one run in a complete-game win. He only struck out one batter.

“We had a couple of things go not our way. And by that, I mean we did it ourselves. They put a little pressure on us and we just didn’t do what we’ve been taught, what we’ve been doing all year,” Douglas said. “We’ve got to do better tomorrow. We didn’t swing the bat against an arm we’ve seen a thousand times.”