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NATCHEZ — After getting off to a 3-0 start to the season, the Natchez High School Bulldogs looked to keep their early-season momentum going when they played host to a Franklin County High School Bulldogs team that had gotten off to an up-and-down start to their season.

What took place last Monday night at Chester Willis Field stunned everyone who attended the game — as well as the teams themselves. Franklin County’s Carter Spring held Natchez High to just three hits while the visiting Bulldogs from Meadville collected 13 hits and took advantage of several walks by Natchez High pitching to defeat the host Bulldogs 23-1 in only three innings.

“Walks. In baseball, walks can kill you. We walked them 15 times. You can’t win a game when you have 15 walks,” Natchez High head coach Dan Smith said. “Couldn’t find the strike zone. Probably the worst game we’ve played this season.”

How bad was it for Natchez High? Starting, and losing, pitcher Braylon McDaniel did not record an out and gave up five runs, all of them earned, on seven walks. The only bright spot was that he did not give up any base hits.

The host Bulldogs scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the second inning. Then Franklin County scored an astounding 18 runs in the top of the third inning. Spring shut out the side in the bottom of the third inning to run-rule Natchez High. Ahmarrion Fletcher had a double for NHS.

Judson Arnold belted two doubles for FCHS and went 2-for-3 with three runs batted in and two runs scored. On the mound, Spring struck out six batter and had just one walk. At the plate, he went 1-for-3 with a double, three RBIs, and four runs scored.

Austin Brumfield led Franklin County at the plate by going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Jarvis Tillman was 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Jack Hutto and Eli Twiner each went 2-for-2 with Hutton collecting one RBI while Twiner had two RBIs and scored two runs.

“We need these games this week,” Smith said. “We’ve got South Jones next week to start (Region 3-5A) play.”

This was the first of four games in five days this week for Natchez High and was the Bulldogs’ first loss of the season.