HATTIESBURG — For three innings, Hattiesburg Americans pitcher Chandler Mantooth had his way with the Natchez 12-year-old All-Star team with a combination of pitches.

Then came the top of the fourth inning. After a walk and a single, Reed White gave Natchez a lead it would not relinquish with a three-run home run en route to a hard-fought 4-3 win Sunday afternoon at the 2011 Mississippi Majors South Regional Tournament.

“Great ball game. Mantooth had a cut fastball and a knuckleball that he could throw for a strike. He had us off balance the first time around,” Natchez 12s coach Gary Farmer said. “Then we hit the ball right to them with line shots. But that’s baseball.”

Even though Mantooth kept Natchez off the scoreboard in the first three innings, the Hattiesburg Americans weren’t able to do much either. They scored one run in the bottom of the first inning to take the early lead.

But Mantooth started having control issues in the top of the fourth. First he allowed a leadoff walk to Cole Mosby. Then Phillip Roberts singled to put runners on first and second. After Mantooth got ahead in the count in his battle with White, White connected off Mantooth for a fly ball that gave Natcheza 3-1 lead.

“Reed hit a home run with two strikes that changed the momentum,” Farmer said. “The guys dug in and played old-fashioned baseball. It was a tough, tough ball game. Great game to watch, but not a great game to coach,” Farmer said.

Sam Corley hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth to make a 3-2 ball game. But Natchez scored what turned out to be a key insurance run in the top of the fifth for a 4-2 advantage.

Sam Parker started the game and nearly went the distance. He allowed three runs on nine hits, struck out five and walked none in five and two-thirds innings to get the win. Jace Calcote got the final out to end the Hattiesburg Americans’ final attempted rally.

“Sam threw a terrific game. He got to the last out in the final inning. We changed to Jace, and he struck out Corely in six pitches,” Farmer said. “After five straight curveballs, he threw a fastball to strike him out and end the ball game.”

The game was played under less-than-ideal conditions for the third day in a row. Farmer said field was muddy and terrible. And during the game, there was some light rain. Despite that, there were no weather delays. Natchez won the game even though it was out-hit by the Hattiesburg Americans nine to five.

Even with the solid effort on the mound, Mantooth was charged with loss. He went all six innings with seven strikeouts and one walk.

The home runs by White and Corley were the only extra-base hits the entire ball game. Not only that, no player for either team had two or more hits.

Natchez will take on Columbia today at 4 p.m. with the winner earning the No. 4 seed for the 2011 Mississippi State Majors Tournament, which will also take place at Hattiesburg and starts Friday.