NATCHEZ &045; Both skippers had something to stew about in foul territory down opposing baselines after Adams County Christian and Central Private finished off the Mississippi Private School Association district opener for both teams.

With their players huddled around them, AC’s Gill Morris and CP’s Kyle Achord became very animated in trying to swallow a split from Saturday’s doubleheader.

After being blanked 7-0 in the opener Saturday, the AC Rebels (4-2, 1-2) the winning run in the bottom of the sixth to steal the nightcap 2-1.

Central Private (5-1, 2-1), however, won the series two-games-to-one after the Rebels got a walk-off homer in extra innings to down AC, 2-1, in Baton Rouge on Tuesday.

&uot;We didn’t show up in that first game,&uot; Morris said. &uot;You’ve gotta be excited &045; home opener, new uniforms, played one of the best teams in the state 2-1 on Tuesday &045; yeah, I’m concerned about our attitude.&uot;

Central Private showed off its arms in both games, with Josh Wall scattering one hit through seven innings during the shutout, and Chase Richard surrendering just five and strikeout eight in the loss.

AC’s Timmy Foster was sparkling during the second game, retiring the final seven batters he faced and only yielding four hits.

He finished with five strikeouts to one walk.

&uot;I told (Foster) after the second inning, if he got two strikes on a batter, I wanted to see a some extra gas and some strikeouts,&uot; Morris said. &uot;When there’s two strikes, a pitcher should have a killer instinct. He did a fine job.&uot;

Glenn Williams, who took the loss in the opener, scored the winning run in the sixth off a David Trisler bloop single.

Williams led the off inning with a single &045; his only hit in the second game &045; before stealing second and advancing to third on a passed ball.

Trisler went opposite way with the first pitch he saw.

For a moment, it appeared Central Private right fielder Kyle Mayo had a play on it. However, it fell in front of his sprawling effort.

&uot;I thought we came out very flat,&uot; Achord said. &uot;I’m disappointed because we played so well the first two games. Foster did a great job. He kept them in it long enough and gave them a chance to win. That’s a great come back down 2-0 (in games) and salvage a win.&uot;

Central Private got its only run off Foster in the first when Richard doubled home Chris Ernest all the way from first, after he had reached on a fielder’s choice.

Foster then induced Wall to line out to left field where Ray Simpson stained his new uniform with a diving stab.

&uot;Timmy Foster kept us in the game. He’s being doing a fine job at hitting his spots,&uot; Morris said. &uot;Central Private’s weakness is swinging at curveballs. They’d rather take a strike than swing at one.&uot;

AC second baseman Dustin Case wasted little time in tying things up in the bottom half of the first when he belted a 2-0 offering over the left field fence.

Richard settled down to retire two of the three outs on strikes.

Foster pitched out of a mini-jam in the second when the Rebels had a runner in scoring position at second with only one out. However, a Mayo pop-out and a Jeret Snell groundout ended the threat.

&uot;In about the fourth inning I told the guys, this game could go either way,&uot; Achord said. &uot;I had a feeling it would come down to another one run game. Whoever, put that run on the board would get the win. Unfortunately, for us, Adams County found a way to get it done.&uot;

Still, the homestanding Rebels blew chances to bust the game wide open early on, Morris felt.

Williams committed a baserunning sin in the third when he was picked off of second base, as did courtesy runner Austin Weeks, who was caught leaning off of first in the fourth.

Also in the fourth, Central Private turned a 5-6-3 double play off of a Joseph Dunlap bunt.

With the corners charging, Dunlap laid down a substantial bunt, but Ernest, the visiting Rebels third baseman, turned and fired to retire David New at second.

Wall, at shortstop for the capper, threw a strike at first to beat Dunlap by a step and a half.

&uot;Our baserunning is atrocious, but that will get better too,&uot; Morris said. &uot;We don’t have the luxury of playing 10 ball games before the district starts.&uot;

Darryl Shaffer went 3 for 3 in the opener and collected 10 total bases, as he smashed a double and a pair of homer runs to help Wall to the win.

Wall, who struck out five, helped his own cause by going 3 for 4 with three singles.

&uot;Josh threw really well. I knew the Williams’ kid was a competitor because he always battles every time we face him,&uot; Achord said. &uot;But Josh was able to hold them down.&uot;

Shaffer blasted a grand slam off Williams in the third to put Central Private up 5-0.

AC’s off Wall was a Trisler double in the sixth.

&uot;Glenn Williams played in the (MPSA basketball) All-Star game last night, but he wanted to pitch the first game today,&uot; Morris said. &uot;We’re sitting up there with goose eggs all over the board. He’ll be fine. He just needs a little more work.&uot;