NATCHEZ &8212; Even the press box staff could not keep up with the pace of Friday night&8217;s winner&8217;s bracket game between Natchez and the Brookhaven Americans in the 10-year-old Dixie Youth District playoffs at Duncan Park in Natchez.

Late in the fifth inning, with the game already nearing the

two-and-a-half hour mark, Dixie Youth president &8220;Porky&8221; Smith, also the public address announcer at the park, had only one thing to say after confusing the name of a player.

&8220;I&8217;m getting tired, folks.&8221;

It would have been easy to do so, with a game that featured a first inning lasting nearly one hour, 27 runs between the two teams, and a whopping four lead changes, culminating in a 14-13 Natchez loss at nearly 11 p.m.

The loss will send Natchez into the loser&8217;s bracket, where they will play Monday afternoon at 6 against the loser of Brookhaven American and Wesson.

Landon Nettles took the win on the mound for the Americans, while Brandon Ross took the loss for Natchez.

Things started off nicely for the home team when, after spotting the Americans a 3-0 lead, they scored eight runs in the bottom of the first to stake a healthy 8-3 lead.

It would not last long, however, as Brookhaven scored four more runs in the top of the second to cut the lead to one. Natchez scored one more run to stake claim to a 9-7 lead, but the Americans would quickly grab onto the momentum.

After tying the game in the third with two runs and shutting out Natchez in the bottom half of the inning, Nettles drilled a three-run home run over the right field wall to give Brookhaven a three-run lead.

Natchez battled back in the bottom of the fifth, cutting Brookhaven lead to 12-11 before Turner Lessley scored on a passed ball and Garrett Rehms drove in Ross with a shot to the wall to give Natchez the lead.

The home team was unable to hold the lead, unfortunately, with Brookhaven scoring two runs in the top of the sixth and Natchez unable to answer in the bottom half of the inning.