The Natchez Ace-Adams League All-Stars got off a good start in the 2001 Dixie Youth Majors 11- and 12-year-olds Sub-District Tournament with a convincing 7-0 win over the Franklin County All-Stars Saturday night at Carroll-Jones Field.

Ace-Adams pitchers Blayne Floyd, Patrick McDonough and Joseph McDonough combined on a five-hit, eight-strikeout performance.

Floyd, the winning pitcher, gave up one hit and struck out three in two innings.

&uot;We used our three starting pitchers. All three of them did an outstanding job,&uot; said Ace-Adams coach Dave Easom.

In addition to the stellar pitching, the Ace-Adams All-Stars played error-free defense in six innings.

&uot;I thought our defense did a job of shutting them out,&uot; said Easom, who gave credit to assistant coaches Jimmy Floyd and Gus Perry.

&uot;Jimmy (Floyd) did a good job of calling the pitches to the catcher. Gus (Perry) has been helping with the defense,&uot; he said.

The Ace-Adams All-Stars scored three times in the bottom of the first on a wild pitch, an error and an RBI-single by Eric Perry, who went 2-3 at the plate.

They added another three runs an inning on Cameron Logan’s RBI-sacrifice fly and Joseph McDonough’s two-run double.

&uot;What I’m really proud of was that our bats were starting to come alive,&uot; said Easom, whose team had eight hits in the game. &uot;We’ve been struggling a little bit with our hitting.&uot;

Franklin County’s only chance to score occurred in the top of the fourth inning when Jarvis King was headed home on a wild pitch, but was thrown out by catcher Kyle Dunaway.

Franklin County next plays against Claiborne County in a loser’s bracket game at 3:30 p.m. today.

Before that game, the Natchez Wallace League All-Stars will take on the Pine Hills All-Stars at 1:30 p.m.