It isn’t often you can say pitching and defense won a ball game at the 9-10-year old level of baseball. But that’s just what the Confederate League All-Stars did in their 11-1 victory over the Rebel League All Stars.

Thomas Miller and Gary Brown combined to throw a two-hitter and catcher Preston Edwards gunned down three Rebel League All-Stars on the basepaths as the Confederate League took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.

&uot;I think they played like All Stars,&uot; said Confederate League coach Duke Edwards. &uot;They hit the ball when they needed to and made the plays. I think they looked good.&uot;

The Confederate All-Stars tallied runs in every inning, as the contest ended in the fourth inning.

The Confederate All-Stars got on the board in the bottom of the first inning with two runs. Alex Strahan doubled, stole third and then scored on a wild pitch. Preston Edwards scored on Thomas Miller’s single. In the second, they scored three runs with the benefit of only one hit, taking a 5-0 lead.

The Rebel League rallied for a run in the top of the third, as Audie Crosby touched home or an errant throw to home. But the defense came into play again, as right fielder Collin Dollar, hit relay man Strahan, who then threw a strike to third baseman Brown for the final out of the inning.

&uot;We’ve got some good pitching and the defense to back us up,&uot; said Edwards. &uot;The hardest thing to play is the outfield. And they came through for us.&uot;

The Confederate League put the game out of reach in the bottom of the third, notching five runs to take a 10-1 advantage. In the fourth, Preston Edwards crossed the plate with the eleventh run, ending the game on the 10-run rule.

&uot;I hope we can pull it out tomorrow night,&uot; Edwards said. &uot;By only going four innings, our second pitcher only had to throw one inning.&uot;

The second game is scheduled for 6 p.m. tonight at Ballew-Bowlin field. If a third game is needed, it will be right after the second contest.