By Myra Bean

In a rivalry that has been brewing all season long, the 8-year-old Batesville Red Wasps All-Star team got the Hernando Warhawks on their own territory Sunday afternoon.

The teams have been meeting in various tournaments throughout the summer traveling season. Batesville only has two losses, and both to the Warhawks.

They met the Warhawks in the Horn Lake Tournament June 19-20 and lost in the championship game 6-4.

“It was a very defensive game so we were surprised this weekend that it went into double digits,” said Haley Williams, mother of player Bowen Williams and wife of coach Jay Williams.

Playing for the Warhawks is Grant Boggan, nephew of the late Bob Boggan of Pope.

Batesville lost to the Warhawks Sunday in the semi-finals 14-11.

A third opportunity for the teams to meet may occur this weekend when both play in the Horn Lake tournament.

Batesville will play home again in the North State Tournament Thursday, July 8 at 2:30 p.m. against Horn Lake.

Batesville entered tournament play with a 3-0 pool record and seeded No. 1.

Hernado scored four runs in the top of the first inning while Batesville only got one across in the bottom of the inning.

Denver Brown doubled and scored on a Bowen Williams triple RBI (run batted in).

Batesville held Hernando to two runs in the top of the second and exploded for four runs to cut the lead 6-5 going into the third inning.

Brandon Phelps and Trace Anderson singled to put runners on base. Braden Lee got to first on an error and Phelps took advantage and scored. On a fielder’s choice force out of Lee for second out, Josh Johnson reached first, driving home Anderson.

Dalton Griffin and Nathan Walls also singled to load the bases. Denver Brown’s single drove home Griffin for the fourth run of the inning.

The Red Wasp defense held strong in the third inning and did not allow the Warhawks to score on its one hit in the inning.

Batesville took the lead scoring three runs in the bottom of the third.

Williams and Collins Hartman singled to get on base. Taking advantage of two Warhawk errors, Williams scored on a passed ball and Harman advanced to second then third.

On a sacrifice fly to right by Gage Hollister for the first out, Hartman scored. Phelps singled and advanced to second on Anderson’s single, but Phelps was out going to third. Anderson scored the third run of the inning on a passed ball for the 8-6 lead.

Hernando had an explosive inning of its own in the top of the fourth scoring seven runs to retake the lead 13-8 on eight hits.

Batesville committed three defensive errors in that inning, but the Warhawks were finding holes in the outfield and putting the ball where there was no defender.

Batesville could only get two runs in bottom of the fourth on two hits and one on-base error.

Griffin singled and scored on a Brown double RBI. Walls got on base on a throwing error and scored when Luke Weldon grounded out to third.

Hernando scored one more run in the top of the fifth.

The final run for Batesville was in the fifth when Hollister doubled and came home on an Anderson fielder’s choice.

In earlier pool play, Batesville defeated Water Valley 18-6; Senatobia 14-6 and Saltillo, 19-4.