NATCHEZ — Friday and Saturday night rains forced several area baseball and softball games to be canceled early Saturday afternoon.

Natchez High was scheduled to play two games at the Hattiesburg Tournament — first against Lumberton and then against Port Gibson. Heavy rain moved into that part of the state Saturday morning, and more unsettled weather was expected that afternoon, forcing the games to get canceled.

Bulldogs head coach Charlie Williams said he was disappointed that his team wouldn’t be able to get any games in before Division 6-6A play begins Tuesday at home against Jim Hill.

“We really did want to play these two games before district games,” Williams said. “It’s going to be rough playing Terry next weekend without those games under our belts. But the kids are going to have to stay focused and play hard.”

But before worrying about traveling to Terry next Friday, the Bulldogs first have to concern themselves with Jim Hill in the division opener.

Monterey head coach Eric Richard tried not to cancel all four of Saturday’s games scheduled to take place at the Monterey Tournament. First, he said the 10 a.m. game between Block and Harrisonburg and the noon game between Monterey and Georgetown were canceled.

“We’re going to try to play the 2 and 4 p.m. games,” Richard said.

Georgetown was scheduled to face Block at 2 p.m., while the host Wolves were to take on Harrisonburg at 4 p.m. But too much rain during the late morning hours forced those games to be washed out.

Franklin County’s baseball team was supposed to take on McComb and North Pike Saturday afternoon at the Brookhaven Tournament, but those games have been canceled.

Franklin County’s fast-pitch softball tournament was rained out. Lady Bulldogs head coach Dana Smith made the decision to postpone the tournament until 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 2.

“We were hoping to get some games in. Most everybody’s district games start around spring break,” Smith said. “I’ve been here for seven years and this is the first time it’s been rained out.”

Franklin County’s opener in Division 7-3A is on Tuesday, March 22 at West Marion. Cathedral doesn’t start Division 8-1A action until Tuesday, March 29 at home against Salem.

All the games that were scheduled for Saturday will remain the same for April 2 — with one exception. The 5 p.m. game will now be Franklin County against McComb. If the tournament had not been washed out, it would have been the Lady Green Wave against the Lady Tigers in that time slot on the dirt field.