By TIM GUERCIO

THE NATCHEZ DEMOCRAT

NATCHEZ — The Natchez Bombers are back!

The name Natchez Bombers was first given in 1988 for all of the girls All-Star slow pitch teams, said Natchez Adams Girls Softball League board member Tommy Greene.

“We just stopped using the name in 1997, and this year we thought we would bring back ‘The Bombers.’” Greene said. “The board brought the name back. We are trying to get people excited for All-Star play by bringing the name back.”

This year the All-Star squads are divided into three teams by age groups.

The age groups are 6U, 8U and 10U.

Friday, the three teams will travel to Magee — the 6U, which is T-ball; the 8U, which is coach pitch; and the 10U, which is kids pitch.

Russ Marks, in his second year as a head coach, will take his All-Star team of 14 players of 7 and 8 year olds to compete with 15 other 8U teams from throughout the state.

“I feel like we might be in the middle of the pack,” Marks said. “If we can manage to just play some good defense, we could win a few games.”

The 10U team this year is being coached by Greene, who has three pitchers who will each start a game this weekend.

“We have Kessley Maples, Revin Tomecko and Caroline Cartlon, who will get to pitch in our first tournament appearance this weekend in Magee.” Greene said.

The Natchez girl’s softball teams are sanctioned by The United States Specialty Sports Association, which has its headquarters in Melbourne, Florida.

The USSSA is a National Organization whose core values are five fold: Integrity, Passion, Teamwork, Commitment and Accountability.