VICKSBURG &045; Natchez wasted little time disposing of Vicksburg and turned its sights on hosting a playoff game.

The Lady Bulldogs (11-8) scored 29 runs on 25 hits and took advantage of seven Vicksburg errors in a 29-3 battering on Wednesday night in Vicksburg.

The win vaults Natchez into the Class 5A state playoffs against either St. Martin, Moss Point or Ocean Springs.

Warren Central, the second-place team in Division 6-5A, will play at Biloxi on Tuesday.

&uot;We needed a big win,&uot; Natchez coach Leigh Ann Mason said. &uot;We had a tough weekend at Brookhaven, lost three in a row and lost a close one on Monday night. I think tonight got us back in the groove hitting the ball.&uot;

The Lady Bulldogs took care of business early sending 10 batters to the plate in the first inning which resulted in a 6-0 lead. Krystal Arnold’s two-RBI single highlighted the rally, which was aided by four Missy Gators’ errors.

Natchez increased the lead to 13-0 after the second as the Lady Bulldogs tacked on seven runs on eight hits. Mable Green RBI triple and Ashley Mitchell’s two-RBI double put the game away.

After adding three more runs in the top of the third for a 16-0 lead, Vicksburg (2-25) made its only threat offensively.

Shannon Arnold’s RBI flyout and Heather Pritchard’s two-RBI single gave the Missy Gators their only runs of the night.

Natchez piled on in the fourth, sending 14 batters to the plate, scoring 12 runs and belting nine hits.

Vicksburg went quietly in the bottom of the fourth inning to end the game by way of the mercy rule.

LaToya Patterson led Natchez with three singles, a home run and five RBIs, while Arnold and Honda Griffin each had three RBIs and Mitchell drove in six runs with three hits.

&uot;We came out ready to play,&uot; Mason said. &uot;I told them before the game that if they lost, they’d have to travel in the playoffs. We had the mentality that we wanted to win.&uot;