JONESVILLE, La. &045; Everyone gasped when the line drive shot hit Elliott Britt in the shoulder.

Coaches in the Vidalia dugout, meanwhile, may have exchanged blank looks with each other.

The Vidalia Minor League All-Stars lost pitcher Peyton Young before the game when he broke his arm in a spill. Britt was the team’s third pitcher of the game and faced only one batter before leaving the game.

And it’s only the first game of the sub-district tournament.

Ferriday took advantage and claimed an 11-1 win in four innings to advance to the winner’s bracket final Monday.

&uot;(Young) was one of our top hitters and a relief pitcher for us,&uot; Vidalia head coach Charles Anderson said. &uot;And during the game we had a kid hurt. That was one of our weak points &045; pitching. Last year’s All-Stars didn’t have a 9-year-old on it, so it’s like being 9-year-olds all over again. Pitching has been a problem, and we knew that was going to be a problem coming in.&uot;

Ferriday came up with timely hits to cash in on 10 walks and one hit batsman to end the game prematurely. Ferriday had only four hits, but its four were good and timely to drive runners in.

Cole Cowan had the biggest blow when he singled through the left side in the fourth to drive in Layton Poole and Roper Craft to end the game.

&uot;We got some good key hits,&uot; Ferriday head coach Ken Hedrick said. &uot;We sure did. And we had some good pitchers, too. Our pitching paid off. That other team was good. They just had some bad luck. I hate that. They’re a good group over there in Vidalia.&uot;

Ferriday got its final three runs off reliever Jake Rowland, who entered the game after Britt took a shot off the bat from Craft with the bases loaded.

The ball hit Britt in the upper left shoulder to score Dillon Smith, but Britt left the game with ice on his shoulder as the team’s fourth pitcher of the game in only the fourth inning.

&uot;I think he’s going to be all right,&uot; Anderson said. &uot;He’s a tough kid. He’s been battling 104-degree fever all week. He’s tough to just come out here. You have that happen when he comes back out here, we almost feel snakebit today.&uot;

Vidalia’s bats couldn’t answer the call against Ferriday pitchers Craft and Poole as the two combined for a one-hitter with six strikeouts. Austin Chauvin had the team’s only hit when he doubled to lead off the fourth, but he was thrown out trying to steal third.

&uot;That was the main thing &045; the pitching,&uot; Hedrick said. &uot;That’s the way we planned it (with both pitchers). All our pitchers are looking good. We’ve got some good pitchers &045; five good pitchers.&uot;

Vidalia got its one run in the second off Cowan when the right-hander walked two. Tyler Davis walked to lead the inning, stole second and came around to score on Broc Sterling’s groundout to first to take a 1-0 lead.

Britt walked in the third and stole second to get in scoring position with one out and the top of the lineup coming to bat, but Poole got two strikeouts to end the inning.

&uot;We just didn’t execute,&uot; Anderson said. &uot;I don’t know if it was the weather, fans in the stands or it’s Saturday. I don’t know. We can play with anybody here. Our kids are just as good. There’s no doubt in my mind we can. Today wasn’t our day. Maybe Monday will be.&uot;

Ferriday got its lead in the third thanks to seven walks and only one hit &045; an infield single courtesy of Jared Hedrick. Tyler Davis got two strikeouts before Ferriday got to the top of its lineup and had the next four batters draw walks.

Garrett Vinson and Layton Poole walked with the bases loaded, Dillon Smith scored from third when the catcher’s throw back to the pitcher got wild and Hedrick’s single deep in the hole at short scored Vinson.