Cathedral and Natchez High’s baseball teams both picked up wins against McComb Saturday, putting two losses on the Tigers at Liberty Park.

Norris gets no-hitter

Behind a no-hitter by pitcher Charlie Norris and two two-run home runs, Cathedral blanked McComb High 10-0.

The game was called after five innings due to the 10-run rule.

The Tigers appeared to have momentum going its way after center fielder Charles Pittman and second baseman Vince Graves were hit by a pitch to start the contest.

Cathedral got Pittman out on a rundown between third and home. Norris struck out Nelson Howell and retired Anthony Johnson on a fly outto end the inning.

&uot;We needed this win today,&uot; said Cathedral head baseball coach Ken Beesley. &uot;Charlie did a super job today.&uot;

Norris allowed no runs, no hits, struck out six and walked two.

In the bottom of the inning with two men out first baseman Josh Torrey and right fielder Casey Rodgers each hit two-run homers to give the Green Wave a 4-0 lead.

&uot;The first inning set the tone for the game,&uot; coach Beesley said. &uot;We got out of a jam with runners on second and third, and then we had the two home runs.&uot;

Cathedral then scored three more runs in the second inning. Designated hitter Scott McLemore scored on a Jim Sandel single. Shortstop Ben Eidt and Sandel scored on a Stephen Edwards single.

&uot;We put the ball in play today,&uot; coach Beesley said. &uot;We got some timely hitting.&uot;

Cathedral scored the last three runs of the game in the bottom of the fifth.

Center fielder Stephen Bush scored when Norris hit a fielder’s choice and Norris and pinch hitter Patrick Beasley scored on a single by Eidt to end the game.

Eidt finished 3-for-4, Bush was 2-for-3 and Rodgers was 2-for-3 in the game.

&uot;This win ought to give the kids some momentum,&uot; coach Beesley said.

Hank Holloway suffered the loss for McComb, allowing 10 runs on 12 hits, striking out only one and walking two.

In the junior varsity game, Cathedral defeated McComb 7-3. Chris Norris was the winning pitcher for Cathedral. Jesse Boyd took the loss.

Kossum paces Bulldogs

After suffering one of its worst loss ever, Natchez got a solid pitching performance from Brian Kossum as the Bulldogs beat McComb 7-3.

Less than 24 hours earlier, Natchez High loss to 15th-ranked Brookhaven High 25-3.

&uot;Last night was an embarrassment, so it was nice to come back with a win,&uot; Kossum said.

Kossum pitched a complete game for Natchez High, allowing three runs (2 earned) on seven hits and striking out six. Kossum also had 2 RBIs at the plate.

&uot;Brian pitched a good game,&uot; said Natchez High head baseball coach Michael Lindsey. &uot;He set the tone for us on the mound.&uot;

&uot;I felt good. I was throwing where coach Lindsey told me to,&uot; Kossum said. &uot;I had good stamina and had my curve and fastball working.&uot;

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one inning when center fielder Nolan Coward and shortstop Calvin Jackson scored on a Kossum single.

Natchez High increased the lead to 4-0 in the second inning when right fielder Nolan Coward scored on a Coward single and Coward scored on a Jackson single.

The Bulldogs scored another run in the third inning second baseman Beau Hale scored on a fielder’s choice by third baseman Bert Goldman.

&uot;We won the game in the first three innings,&uot; coach Lindsey said.

The Tigers scored their run of the game in the top of the fourth inning. Catcher Nelson Howell tripled and pinch runner Michael Lewis scored on a groundout by starting pitcher Anthony Johnson.

The Bulldogs answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth.

Catcher Brock Barlow homered and pinch runner Michael Williams scored when second baseman Bert Goldman doubled and Tiger first baseman Kyle Murrell committed an error.

McComb scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning. Howell tripled to bring in shortstop Vince Graves and scored on a fielder’s choice by Johnson, but it was not enough.

&uot;We were more mentally ready to play tonight than yesterday,&uot; coach Lindsey said. &uot;We still have a lot of work to do.&uot;

Johnson was the losing pitcher for McComb, allowing seven runs (4 earned) on nine hits while striking out three and walking two in five innings.

Natchez High, 2-6, plays against North Pike and Brandon next Monday at the Southwest Mississippi Community College baseball field.

In the junior varsity game, Natchez held off McComb 8-7. Jason Hayes was the winning pitcher.