In any sport, a coach should instruct his players on the finer points of the game. In addition, though, a coach should also, at times, act as a motivator for his troops. Redd Pest Control coach Dave Easom played the later to perfection last night.

Using the analogy of his team climbing up a hill only to be knocked down, Easom guided his team to a Natchez city championship last night in the 11- and 12-year-old league. Redd Pest Control tallied a run in the bottom of the sixth to win the city title over Britton & Koontz, 5-4.

&uot;It was a great game. This has been the story of the season,&uot; said Easom. &uot;I’ve been giving the analogy of climbing up the hill and someone pulling us down.&uot;

A pitching duel dominated the first few innings. Redd loaded the bases with two outs in the first with the benefit of a couple errors, but B&K pitcher Jeremy Ellis got out of the jam with a fielder’s choice groundout.

Redd pitcher Patrick McDonough was equally effective, as he surrendered only one hit while striking out four through three innings.

&uot;We decided to go with him all six innings if he could last,&uot; said Easom. &uot;He hung in there.&uot;

Redd’s bats were the first to wake up. In the bottom of the third, Leon Thomas sliced a double to right and then scored on a Joseph McDonough two-bagger. Clint Easom singled McDonough home with a RBI-basehit to right center. Easom ended the scoring by croosing home on an error.

B&K chipped away at the lead in the fourth. Braxton Fondren walked and scurried around to third on wild pitches. Eric Hollowell produced a sacrifice fly to right to bring Fondren in, making the score 3-1.

B&K tied the game in the fifth when Adam Bradley and Trevor Anderson scored on a double by Parker Brumfield. The team took the lead in the sixth, as Ellis slapped a triple to right and scored on an error. But McDonough got of the inning by forcing a fielder’s choice, a pop up to second and a strikeout.

That set the stage for Redd’s comeback. Easom and Patrick McDonough hit back-to-back doubles to notch one run to tie the game at four. McDonough then scored the winning run on a pair of groundouts.

&uot;Our fortay is hitting in the sixth inning,&uot; Easom said. &uot;Most of the games we have won have been in the sixth inning.&uot;

&uot;That’s the way a city championship ought to be played,&uot; said B&K coach Brad Fondren. He added, &uot;We had a good year. Our boys are keeping their heads up.&uot;