Wallace All Stars take big win over Ace-Adams

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, July 10, 2001

After Sunday’s win over Pine Hills, Natchez Wallace League All-Star coach Brad Fondren said his team could not take its next opponent in the 2001 Dixie Youth 11- and 12-year-olds Sub-District Tournament, the Natchez Ace Adams League All-Star team, for granted.

And the Natchez Wallace All-Stars didn’t take them for granted as they pounded out 13 hits and Stevan Ridley and Parker Brumfield combined to allow two hits in three innings for a 13-2 win in five innings Monday night at Carroll-Jones Field.

&uot;We just hammered the ball tonight,&uot; Fondren said. &uot;We had a good batting practice today and it paid off.&uot;

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Natchez Wallace scored four runs in the top of the first on a two-run single by Ridley, an error and an RBI groundout by Jeremy Ellis.

Natchez Ace Adams cut the lead to two in the bottom of the second on a wild pitch and David Ozburn’s RBI single.

Natchez Ace Adams had a chance to either cut further into Natchez Wallace’s lead, tie the score or even take the lead with the bases loaded and two outs. However, starting and winning pitcher Austin Weeks got Kolby Godfrey to strike out to end the rally.

&uot;The pitching was great. We had a great defensive game except for a couple of mental errors,&uot; Fondren said.

That would be as close Natchez Ace Adams would get the rest of the way as Natchez Wallace scored five runs on six hits in the top of the third.

Natchez Wallace scored twice more in the top of the fourth and fifth innings, including Ridley’s home run to centerfield in the fifth, for the final score.

Ridley went 3-for-3 with four runs batted in and Weeks also went 3-for-3 with two RBIs.

&uot;(Natchez Ace Adams pitcher) Joseph (McDonough) threw me a curveball the first pitch and (Natchez Wallace assistant coach) Danny (Ray Weeks) told me to leave it alone,&uot; Ridley said. &uot;He (McDonough) then threw me a fastball and he (Weeks) told me to drive it and I got a good hit off it.&uot;

Fondren then gave credit to his assistant coaches for the job they have done in getting his team ready to play.

&uot;Danny Ray Weeks, Cynthia Parker Brumfield, and Glenn Carroll are doing a good job coaching in practice and during the game,&uot; he said.

Natchez Ace Adams head coach Dave Easom said if his team hadn’t made so many errors (six overall), his team would’ve been more competitive, but he also gave credit to the Natchez Wallace All-Star team.

&uot;Their pitching was great. Their hitting was good,&uot; he said. &uot;We’re going to have to come out with a lot more heart tomorrow night if we’re going to stay in this tournament.&uot;

Because both teams had a bye during the tournament, they will play again at 7 p.m. today.