NATCHEZ — Natchez High School baseball left its doubleheader with West Lincoln in a split. 1-1.

A seventh-inning rally in Game 1 led West Lincoln past Natchez.

The Bulldogs had a 6-3 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. Bulldog pitcher Chris Scott struck out the first batter of the inning, which appeared to set the tone for the Bulldogs to clinch the opener. Scott, however, walked back-to-back batters, and a single from the Bears’ Brad Thompson loaded the bases with one out.

That’s when Natchez coach Dan Smith decided to go to Travez Lyles in the bullpen.

During a previus mound visit that inning, Smith said, Scott told him he could finish the game. Smith was inclined to trust his pitcher.

“[Scott] told me he could finish the inning, and I have faith in my players,” Smith said.

A base hit to right field and an errant throw to the plate brought two runs in. A passed ball and a wild pitch later brought in the two runs that would nail Natchez’s coffin shut.

The Bulldogs managed to put the tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh inning, but struck out in it final two at-bats.

“If we’d played defense, the game would have been over,” Smith said. “Errors really cost us the game.”

Smith estimated Scott threw approximately 130 pitches in the game.

“It’s probably the most he’s thrown in his career,” Smith said.

He said, in hindsight, he still would have kept Scott in the same length of time.

“As a coach you have to trust your players,” Smith said. “We should have won the game at the end of the day. But everything is live and learn.”

Scott had six strikeouts and allowed five earned runs on eight hits.

Lyles was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Quincey Henderson went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Derrick Lewis batted 3-for-4 with an RBI.

Natchez had just one extra-base hit in the game — the Bulldogs’ first at bat in the first inning.

Natchez 6, West Lincoln 5

Game 2 saw another Bulldog pitcher go deep into the game, this time throwing all seven innings.

Jatavis Melton got the complete-game victory for the Bulldogs. Melton struck out nine, and allowed four earned runs on 10 hits.

“I just kept my head up and threw the ball, and I made my defense work,” Melton said.

Melton stranded at least one runner in scoring position in all seven innings.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Melton worked with a runner in scoring position with one out. He struck out the final two batters of the game.

“He pounded the zone with strikes,” Smith said.

On offense, Natchez’s first run came off Melton’s bat in the second, which scored Henderson from second. Melton stole second and third to put himself in position for Scott to execute a risky squeeze play. Scott managed to reach base safely, thanks to an error from the West Lincoln pitcher.

The game was tied at 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning. A sacrafice fly from Shavokee Herrington scored Jakel Barnes and gave Natchez its go-ahead run.

That would be all the run support Melton needed.

“I’m proud of them because that first game was a tough one,” Smith said. “All of them have heart. They fought back and played this one to the last inning.”

Natchez plays Tuesday in Jackson in a tournament game. The Bulldogs travel to Lawrence County after the tournament.