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NATCHEZ — Chris Sewell overcame six walks and hitting two batters by striking out six batters and giving up no hits over five innings as the Natchez High School Bulldogs defeated the Port Gibson High School Blue Waves 8-4 last Saturday afternoon at Chester Willis Field.

The win ended a five-game losing streak and went on without a hitch despite some rain that fell between the end of the junior varsity game and the start of the varsity game, which was at 1 p.m.

As for getting back on the winning track, Natchez High head coach Dan Smith, “Feels good for me. Feels even better for the kids.”

The Bulldogs scored their first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning for a 1-0 lead. However, Port Gibson was able to take advantage of some walks as well as miscues in the field by Natchez High to plate two runs in the top of the third inning for a 2-1 Blue Waves lead.

Yet that lead would not last very long. Natchez High took the lead thanks to a two-run rally in the bottom of the third for a 3-2 lead. The Bulldogs scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning off Port Gibson starting pitcher Centrell Hedrick for an 8-2 lead.

“We had to bring in Draylen Scott to pinch hit in the bottom of the sixth inning. He had a big two-RBI triple. That gave us a little breathing room,” Smith said.

The Blue Waves scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning and those runs were charged to JaCori Davis, who came on in relief of Sewell. In his one-plus innings on the mound, Davis gave up two earned runs on one hit with one strikeout and two walks.

“I had Chris on a pitch count. Davis came in and filled the zone. He threw some strikes,” Smith said. “To be an eighth-grader and do what he did, that’s something.”

Mason Bouldin entered the mound to finish the game and he gave up one hit and struck out two in one inning.

Braylon McDaniel went 2-for-3 with a home run, three runs batted in and one run scored while Davis was 2-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored. Sewell helped his cause by going 1-for- with one RBI, two runs scored, and three stolen bases. Ahmarrion Fletcher went 1-for-3 with a double and one run scored.

“I was proud of the way we played. We played a complete game from top to bottom,” Smith said. “We actually started to play better Friday night against South Jones. I thought we improved from Monday night. I saw some improvement. We scored some runs.”

Port Gibson was led at the plate by Raphael Neal, who was 1-for-3 with a double, one RBI, two runs scored, was walked once, and had one stolen base. Akeem Wells was 1-for-2 with one RBI, one run scored, was walked once, and was hit by a pitch once. Hedrick drew two walks, had one stolen base, and scored one run.

With the win, Natchez High improved to 5-7 overall. The Bulldogs play host to South Pike High School on Monday with the JV game at 2 p.m., followed by the varsity game at 4 p.m. Then they host Crystal Springs High School on Tuesday with the JV game at 2 p.m. and the varsity game at 4 p.m.

South Jones sweeps Natchez High in MHSAA Region 3-5A varsity doubleheader (Friday night)

NATCHEZ — Cambridge McDaniel hit a home run in both of South Jones High School’s varsity games against Natchez High School as the Braves defeated the Bulldogs 17-3 in six innings in Game 1 and 15-2 in five innings in Game 2 at Chester Willis Field last Friday afternoon to sweep this MHSAA Region 3-5A series.

McDaniel went 1-for-4 with two runs batted in, three runs scored, and was walked once the first game of the varsity doubleheader for South Jones. Conner Moore went all six innings to earn the win on the mound for the Braves and allowed three runs, two of them earned, on two hits with 13 strikeouts, four walks, and one hit batter.

South Jones was ahead 4-0 going into the bottom of the third inning before Natchez High struck for three runs to make it a 4-3 game. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, they could not keep their momentum going after that as the Braves struck for two runs in the top of the fourth inning and one run in the top of the fifth for a 7-3 lead before putting the game completely out of reach with 10 runs in the top of the sixth.

Braylon McDaniel was charged with the loss after he went five-plus innings for Natchez High, giving up 13 runs, 10 of them earned on six hits, seven walks and two hit batter with just one strikeout. Jaylin Neal came on in relief of McDaniel and gave up four runs, all of them earned, on four hits with one strikeout and two walks in one inning.

Neal also had a single, as did Chris Sewell for the Bulldogs’ only base hits in that game. Sewell had two stolen bases and scored one run. JaCori Davis drew a walk and scored one run. Cam Damiom Hawkins drew a walk, stole one base, and scored one run.

Eyan Butler led the Braves’ nine-hit attack by going 3-for-4 with a double, three runs batted in and three runs scored.

The loss in Game 2 dropped the Bulldogs to 4-7 overall and 0-3 in Region 3-5A.

In the first game of the doubleheader varsity tilt, McDaniel wasn’t the only player for South Jones to homer. So was Beckett Johnson, who went 1-for-1 with one RBI and one run scored.

And while the Braves didn’t have that one real big inning in Game 1 that they had in Game 2, it didn’t really matter. They scored four runs to start the game in the top of the first inning and just like that they were up 4-0.

Natchez High tried to respond, but could only score one run in the bottom of the first inning. South Jones scored two runs each in the top of the second and third innings for an 8-1 lead. Jeremiah Bell was charged with the loss after giving up eight runs, five of them earned, on six hits with four walks and two hit batters in just two and two-thirds innings.

The Bulldogs scored their second run of the game in the bottom of the third to trail 8-2, but the Braves were not done bringing players across home plate. The visiting team from Ellisville added three runs in the top of the fourth inning and four runs in the top of the fifth to run-rule Natchez High after five innings.

Winning pitcher Russ Thompson went four innings and gave up two runs, neither of them earned, on three hits with nine strikeouts, no walks, and two hit batters. He helped his own cause by going 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs, and one run scored.

Sewell led Natchez High at the plate by going 2-for-2 with one run score. Neal was 1-for-2 while McDaniel was hit by a pitch once, had one stolen base, and scored one run.