HATTIESBURG — The Purvis All-Stars used the long ball quite effectively, and there was nothing the Natchez Dixie Youth 11- and 12-year-old All-Stars could do about it.

Purvis hit a total of five home runs off Natchez pitchers Ben Foster and Landon Davis en route to a 12-2 win in five innings Friday afternoon in the opening round of the state tournament.

Natchez 11s and 12s head coach Brynson Rogers was not pleased with the team’s effort.

“We weren’t ready,” Rogers said. “Our bats were flat. We just didn’t have any emotion. It seemed like the kids were ready to get into the swimming pool more than they were for a baseball game.”

Foster gave up nine runs on six hits in three innings and was charged with the loss. Landon Davis went two innings and allowed three runs. Ben White had the team’s only extra-base hit with a double. The other three hits the Natchez 11-12s had were singles.

“We gave up too many runs and (had) too many errors,” Rogers said. “Hopefully, we’ll rebound tomorrow and go from there.”

The Natchez Dixie Youth 11-12s will look to stave off elimination when they take on Humphries County at 11 a.m. today.