GLOSTER — Zach Flattmann hit two home runs and Cooper Murray added a home run of his own as the Natchez 12-year-old All-Stars took Game 1 of the Mississippi Dixie Youth District 6 Tournament with a 10-5 win over Pine Hills Thursday night.

Winning pitcher Gabe Smith combined with starting pitcher Sam Parker and reliever Brock Farmer on a three-hitter. Smith allowed three runs on two hits — all in the bottom of the third inning— in his two innings on the mound.

Yet despite the win, coach Gary Farmer said the team was not as fired up for the game as it should have been.

“We just hit in spurts. It didn’t look like the team was up tonight,” Farmer said. “We played average or even a little below average for a Natchez 12s team. They went through the motions and came out with a win.”

Natchez scored one run in the top of the first inning, three runs in the top of the second and another run in the top of the third. Pine Hills got on the scoreboard when losing pitcher Ridge Thornton hit a three-run home run off Smith in the bottom of the third to make it a 5-3 ball game.

However, Farmer said he wasn’t nervous after Smith’s homer and neither were the players.

“The guys didn’t even put their heads down. They came back with four runs in the (top of the) fourth,” Farmer said.

That gave Natchez a commanding 9-3 advantage. Natchez scored its final run of the game in the top of the fifth. Pine Hills scored a couple of runs in the bottom of the sixth, but it was not nearly enough.

“We started with five runs in the first three innings and never looked back. We pitched well. Home runs by Zach and Cooper and a big hit by Jace (Calcote) is what brought this team through,” Farmer said.

Parker gave up just one hit in two innings and Brock Farmer allowed two runs on two hits in two innings. Farmer said all three pitchers did quite well.

“They located the ball well. They combined for a six-inning five-hitter. We needed to go 2-2-2. They did what we asked of them and we came out with a victory,” Farmer said.

Farmer added that he expects the Natchez 12-year-old All-Stars to play better and with more enthusiasm when they play today at Duncan Park. Game 2 starts at 6:30 p.m. If a third game is necessary, it will follow the conclusion of Game 2.