NATCHEZ &045; The ball wasn’t in Connor Adams’ glove, but that didn’t matter. It didn’t hit the ground.

And just like his McComb team did in the finals of the 11-year-old district tournament, Adams held on for the out on a line shot back to the mound. Turned out to be one of the saving graces for the McComb All-Stars in their 7-6 win over Wesson, one that was so far from over until the final out of the game.

With the win McComb advanced to the state tournament in Pascagoula next week, the first 11-year-old state tournament in history. And as tight as things got in the final inning, it may need the week to take a breather.

&uot;We just came up short,&uot; Wesson coach Jerry Hood said. &uot;We wanted it bad, and we didn’t quit. We fought to the very end. McComb is a great team, but believe me &045;they know who Wesson is. We played them twice, and we played them tough.&uot;

Although the Wesson All-Stars never took the lead, they trailed by four heading into their last at-bat and put up three runs and had a runner on third base with two outs. Gage Wilson was staring at home plate like Pedro Martinez staring down a Tampa Bay Devil Ray, but McComb reliever got Steven Swindle got Kyle Cross on a called third strike to end the game.

&uot;I thought we could have gotten a couple more runs, but they played a great game defensively,&uot; McComb head coach Mark Swindle said. &uot;I thought we hit the ball real well. It was rough. But we have some pitchers we didn’t use, so we feel real good about our chance at state. We’ve got some extra arms that hopefully can go as far as they can go.&uot;

Wesson missed a golden opportunity in the sixth to score off Adams but didn’t pass it up in the seventh before he was pulled in favor of Steven Swindle. Thirteen-hole hitter Austin Huston led off the inning with a double but was thrown out trying to go to third on a throw from first after Matt Smith beat out the throw from short.

The play could have turned the momentum big time, but Wesson never quit. Gibb Britt doubled to move Smith to third, and Brandon Allen singled in Smith for the first run.

Britt scored on an error, and Gage Wilson singled in Allen to cut the lead to 7-6.

Steven Swindle, who yielded the single to Wilson as the first batter he faced, got Alex Goza on a huge strikeout for the second out before getting Cross to end the game.

All that came after the departure of big McComb right-hander Kendrick Hodges, a big, burly right-hander who could really bring it. He threw four innings and struck out nine.

&uot;The main thing is our guys didn’t quit, and we’re proud of them,&uot; Hood said. &uot;We haven’t seen a kid like (Hodges) all year long. He brings it. I’d be surprised if that team doesn’t win state. They’re pretty good, and they’re well-coached.&uot;

The biggest play had to be on Adams’ behalf in the fifth inning when Wesson was threatening to break it open. He came in relief of Hodges with runners on first and second and gave up an infield single to Hunter Sullivan to load the bases.

Adams then got a huge strikeout for the second out before Tyson Wesley lined up back to the mound. It hit Adams right in the gut and appeared to go in and out of his glove, but he scooped it before it hit the ground for the third out.

&uot;Wasn’t that something,&uot; Mark Swindle said. &uot;He played for me in the league, and he always came up with a miracle. That was a big play. He’s a lucky little thing. He’s the kind of pitcher they’re going to hit and you hope you get them out. But he did what he had to do there.&uot;

McComb got its bats going early and scattered runs here and there to take control of the game. Steven Swindle doubled in a run in the first to help take a 2-0 lead, and McComb tacked on three runs in the third when Swindle singled in two runs and Konnor Amis scored on a wild pitch for a 5-2 lead.

Smith didn’t do a bad job on the mound for Wesson and ended up going the distance.

&uot;Matt’s a tough kid,&uot; Hood said. &uot;His arm was sore, but he fought to the end. That’s what makes coaching fun &045; kids like that. That’s why I’m here. We’re going to work hard, come back next year and do it one step farther.&uot;

He couldn’t top Hodges, who struggled with his control early but found a little groove in the second inning with the fastball. He continued to hit the outside corner to the right-handed batter and got all but two outs on strikeouts.

But Wesson did get three runs on four hits off the big gun.

&uot;He pitched well, but he ran out of gas,&uot; Mark Swindle said. &uot;He can bring it. But he had some tough at-bats, and they got some good hits. Their kids really hung in there.&uot;