Natchez 9′s defeat McComb, advance
Published 12:00am Sunday, June 29, 2008Gloster — With the Natchez 9-year-olds 9-8 thrilling victory over McComb Saturday morning in the district championship game, the same bunch that won a state title last year moved one step closer to repeating in 2008.
Although Natchez head coach Gary Farmer said it was one of the worst performances he’s seen from his kids fundamentally, he was proud of their perseverance.
“It’s just good to know when you come out flat you can still get a win versus a good McComb squad,” Farmer said.
McComb didn’t waste any time, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. However, Natchez responded in the bottom of the first, taking a 5-3 lead on five hits and two walks.
Ahead 5-4, Natchez’ Gage Dossett extended their lead to 6-4 in the bottom of the second inning on a deeply hit ball to center field, scoring Jacob Jenkins from first.
After Jack Dukes’ RBI-double gave Natchez a 7-4 lead after three innings, the McComb bats began to wake up.
In the top of the fourth, the first four McComb batters reached base. With the score tied at seven, McComb’s Daren Smith made up for two early errors in the field.
Smith utilized his speed on the base paths and forced the Natchez first baseman to rush a throw to third base, allowing Smith to score on the wild throw.
In the bottom of the fourth, Natchez’ Jace Calcote scored to tie the game at eight when McComb committed a fielding error fielding a Craig Bradley hit.
Two batters later, Dossett’s single to deep center scored Bradley in what would turn out to be the decisive run.
Perhaps the biggest play of the game came from the arm of relief pitcher Reed White in the top of the fifth.
With Natchez ahead 9-8, McComb starting pitcher Matthew Phillips took a large lead off second base following a pitch to teammate Mark Barnard at bat.
After receiving the ball from catcher Davion Jackson, White quickly whirled around, picking-off Phillips for the first out of the inning.
Barnard swatted the next ball he saw to deep left-center.
Had Phillips not been picked off, he would have had a chance to score on the hit and possibly tie the game at nine.
However, McComb was unable to capitalize and the next two batters were retired in order.
“That was great,” Farmer said. “We told Reed to get (Phillips) if he could. He turned and made a perfect throw.”
After a leadoff walk to start the top of the sixth, White was able to record three outs in order to preserve the Natchez victory.
