Caribou’s Molly Bouchard was eliminated in the first episode of “Star Search” Saturday night.

Bouchard, a runner-up last year in the Junior Singers category, was invited back to be one of three returning contestants in the Winners Circle.

In the live event, the evening started with Spensha Baker, 10, of Killeen, Texas, squaring off against fellow challenger Alexa Melo, 8, of Boston.

The judges for the event, country singer Naomi Judd, rapper MC Lyte and TV producer Matti Leshem favored Baker’s rendition of Celine Dion’s “Love Can Move Mountains” over Melo’s version of “Man of La Mancha” by a 13-12 score.

Baker then chose to challenge the 13-year-old Bouchard, who performed LeAnn Rimes’ “We Can.” The judges gave the Caribou Middle School pupil’s performance a total score of 8, and Baker took her place in the Winners’ Circle with her earlier posted score of 13.

At this point of the competition, only the judges’ scores count, with no Internet voting by viewers, which is to be reinstated later in the season. Last year, Bouchard twice trailed on the judges’ scorecards, but overwhelming Internet support helped her to advance.