VIDALIA — In order for the Concordia Americans to win in 7-8-year-olds Machine Pitch Dixie Youth Sub-district Tournament championship, they had to defeat a familiar opponent in the Winnsboro Nationals. And they had to do so twice.

The two teams met last Thursday night in a winners’ bracket game with the Winnsboro Nationals jumping out to an early 10-2 lead before holding off a furious comeback attempt by the Concordia Americans for a 10-9 win.

After advancing through the losers’ bracket, the Concordia Americans defeated the Winnsboro Nationals 13-8 to force a winner-take-all championship game. And the host team was successful one again, taking a 6-2 win for the title.

The Concordia Americans will play in the state tournament at DeRidder, La., beginning Thursday, July 2.

In the first game, the Concordia Americans scored two runs in the top of the first inning, five in the top of the second, and four in the top of the third inning en route to what was a commanding 11-4 lead.

But after not scoring a run in the top of the fourth, the Winnsboro Nationals scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth to cut the lead to 11-8. However, the Concordia Americans scored two runs in the top of the fifth to end the scoring.

Nick Melton, Caden Poole and Trent Jordan each scored two runs to lead the Concordia Americans while Carter Banks scored two runs to lead the Winnsboro Nationals.

The championship game didn’t have the offensive firepower the first game did, but it didn’t matter to the Concordia Americans, the home team in this game. They scored two runs apiece in the bottom of each of the first three innings while the Winnsboro Nationals could only muster up one run in the top of the second inning. The visiting team scored its other run in the top of the fifth, but it was not nearly enough.

Tanner Jenkins scored two runs while Melton, Poole, Tony Tolliver and Doodie Smith score one run each for the Concordia Americans. Blake Chapman scored both runs for the Winnsboro Nationals.