By Myra Bean

The 7 and under Batesville Blast team was formed because the 8 and under Bratz team was already very full.

Though they are younger than their weekend counterparts, they ended up second in the pool. Overall, the Blast finished in third place in the J. P. Hudson Dizzy Dean Bash last weekend.

The Blast faced the Delta Thunder Friday in the first game of the tournament and the teams tied at 16.

The Blast had two games on its plate for Saturday. They lost to Hernando 14-1 and defeated Senatobia Sneaky Cleats 17-6 to place second in the pool which set up the Batesville Bratz versus Batesville Blast semi-final match on Sunday.

The Bratz won that match 20-9.

There were major offenses in action Friday afternoon between the Blast and the Delta Thunder.

The game was tied at five after the first inning. Delta Thunder got a little breathing space and took a one point, 9-8 lead after the second inning.

Delta went ahead 12-8 in top of third and held Batesville scoreless in the bottom. Scoring three more runs in the fourth, Delta led 15-8 as Batesville started its comeback.

With one out, Rebekah Cook and Haven Dulin got on base with singles.

After the second out, hits by Rayne Rippee and Landry Davis drove home the runs to cut the lead, 15-10.

Batesville held Delta scoreless in top of the fifth inning and scored two more runs by Bailey Ware and Molly Seay. Both singled to get on base and pulled within three, 15-12.

Batesville buckled down and held Delta to one run in the sixth inning.

The Blasts were determined to make a run for the victory. Addison Hardy scored the first run. Then the Blasts were hit with two runners picked off while trying to advance bases. Perkins, Bailey Russell and Ware all got on base and scored the next three runs to tie the game at 16. With bases loaded, Batesville attempted to get the run home for the win but the third out came on a fielder’s choice.

Late Saturday morning and afternoon, the Blast had two more tough games on its plate.

The Blast could only get one run in against the Hernando in the first game of the day in four innings. Hardy singled and scored on an RBI by Davis in the first inning.

The temperature was not the only thing hot in the second game against the Senatobia Sneaky Cleats. The Blast players’ bats were connecting with the ball and they got on base and in position to score.

Batesville led 5-3 after the first inning and 8-3 at the end of the second.

Senatobia closed the gap a little in the third scoring three runs after Batesville scored one in top for the 9-6 Batesville lead. Batesville held Senatobia scoreless in the fourth after taking a 12-6 lead going into the bottom of the fourth. Putting up the maximum five runs in the top of the fifth secured the win for the Blast.

Hardy led at the plate as she went 4-for-4 with a three-run home run in the second inning and two doubles and a single, three runs and four RBIs (runs batted in).

Cook also went 4-for-4 with three singles, a double and four runs. Bailey Russell was 3-for-4 with one run.

Rippee was 2-for-3 with a double and one run. Davis was also 2-for-3.

Perkins was 3-for-3 with two runs. Ware was 2-for-3 with a run as was Avery Seay.

Dulin was 3-for-3 with a double and a run. Gracie Burchfield was 3-for-3 with two runs. Molly Seay was 2-for-3 with a double and one run.

As with Hernando, the more experienced and older Batesville Bratz was too much for the younger Blast team. However, the team did score 10 runs on their older counterparts.

Cook went 3-for-3 with a double and two runs. Russell went 3-for-3. Hardy and Rippee also went 3-for-3 with two runs each.

David led at the plate going 3-for-3 with a triple, two doubles and two runs.

Going 3-for-3 with a double was Perkins.

Ware and Natalie Nicholson both went 2-for-2. Nicholson had one run.

Hitting 1-for-2 were Avery Seay, Dulin and Burchfield.

The Blast will kick off the north state tournament next Thursday at 1 p.m. as they face the Saltillo All-Stars at J. P. Hudson Park.