BROOKHAVEN — What had been a close game through three innings turned into a rout as the Natchez 11-year-old All-Stars scored 13 runs in the final two innings to defeat the Lincoln County Americans 17-2 in five innings Friday night at the District 6 Sub-District Tournament.

Despite scoring in each of the first three innings, Natchez was unable to put away a Lincoln County Americans team that had just one hit the entire game and led just 4-2. But with starting pitcher Penn Wilson having problems finding the strike zone and the relief pitcher not doing much better, Natchez was finally able to pull away.

“We gained control in the top of the fourth. That was my feeling,” coach Jeff Webb said. “They got a little tense. Their original pitcher, Penn Wilson, got wild, and they took him out and put in another pitcher and we took off.”

After scoring four runs in the top of the fourth inning, Natchez scored nine runs in the top of the fifth to put the game out of reach.

After two errors and a walk allowed Natchez to load the bases with nobody out, winning pitcher Luke Thomas fought off several pitches before hitting the ball off the fence in centerfield for a double that scored Andrew Beesley, Christopher White and Will Moffett.

Edwin Byrne then singled to left field and moved to second on a passed ball. Then with one out, Landon Seyfarth singled to score Thomas. With Byrne at third base and Seyfarth having stole second base, Nick Webb walked to load the bases for the second time in Natchez’s half of the inning. Tyler Wilson then hit a ground-rule double that scored Byrne and Seyfarth. Cole Melton then reached first base on an error by the shortstop, allowing Webb and Wilson to score to make it a 16-2 game. Melton then stole second and scored on an RBI groundout by Bradley Jones.

Thomas, Wilson and White combined on the one-hitter. Thomas pitched the first two innings, then Wilson pitched the third and fourth innings, and White came in to shut down the Lincoln County Americans in the fifth.

“White walked the first batter, then struck out the side,” Webb said. “We turned two double plays. Brody Cole had an unassisted double play that shut them down in the first inning. In the second inning, Cole threw to Beesley at second, who threw to Jones at first for a double play.”

The only hit by the Lincoln County Americans was by Conner Douglas, who singled to right field in the bottom of the second inning.

Natchez, on the other hand, had not problems hitting the ball as it finished with 13 hits. Seyfarth went 3-for-3 with two doubles, Tyler Wilson was 3-for-3, Byrne and Thomas each went 2-for-3, and Beesley was 2-for-4.

The Natchez 11-year-old All-Stars have a bye in the second round and will take on the winner of the Lincoln County Nationals-Wesson game Monday at 8 p.m.