Austin Weeks’ RBI single started a six-run third inning for the Natchez Wallace League All Stars as they defeated the Pine Hills All-Stars 7-1 in a winner’s bracket game Sunday in the 2001 Dixie Youth 11- and 12-year-olds West Sub-District Tournament at Carroll-Jones Field.

Weeks, Stevan Ridley and Dustin Carroll combined on a three-hit, nine-strikeout pitching performance.

&uot;All three of our pitchers did a good job,&uot; said Natchez Wallace coach Brad Fondren.

Weeks allowed one run on two hits, while striking out three in the first two innings to pick up the win. Ridley struck out four and walked one in the middle two innings. Carroll allowed one hit and one walk while striking out two in the final two innings.

Pine Hills scored its only run of the game in the top of the first when leadoff-hitter Jean Venezia singled and later scored on an error.

In the top of the third, the Natchez Wallace team got the big inning it needed, which started with singles by Braxton Fondren, James Logan and Weeks, whose hit scored Fondren.

Logan then scored on a Brian Sanderson. Ridley’s triple scored Weeks and Sanderson. Ridley then scored on a fielder’s choice by Parker Brumfield, who later scored on a bases-loade walk by John Carl Johnson.

&uot;We hit the ball well. I’m proud of the way they swung the bat instead of taking walks,&uot; coach Fondren said.

Pine Hills had only three batters reach base after the first inning.

Next up for the Natchez Wallace All-Stars is a familiar opponent – the Natchez Ace Adams All Stars, whom they will face at 8 p.m. today. The Natchez Wallace All-Stars defeated the Natchez Ace Adams All-Stars 8-0 in the city championship game.

&uot;We can’t take them for granted,&uot; Fondren said. &uot;They’ll be getting after each other.&uot;

Pine Hills will play the Franklin County All-Stars in a loser’s bracket game at 6 p.m. today.

Franklin County stayed alive in the tournament by defeating the Claiborne County All-Stars 10-4 in a loser’s bracket game.

Franklin County came back from a 1-0 deficit by scoring three runs in the top of the third and fourth innings and answered Willis’ homer with three runs of its own to put the game away.