By Myra Bean

The North Delta Baseball team decided to forgo a week long spring break and play in the Oxford Invitational Tournament this week.

They faced their toughest competition to-date as they played local public school teams.

Wednesday they played two games, the first against Center Hill, and the Green Wave (7-5-1) fell 14-5. The second game of the day was against Horn Lake which they also lost, 5-3.

Shaking off a nine-day baseball hiatus, the Green Wave scored first against Center Hill in top of the first inning when Tyler Pirtle scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Hunter Durham. Pirtle got on base on a Center Hill throwing error from third.

Center Hill tied the game in bottom of the first and broke open the game with a four-run second inning.

Pirtle scored again in top of the third on a groundout to third by Luke Latham. Pirtle had doubled to get on base.

The Green Wave committed four errors in bottom of the third inning which led to nine runs on four hits for Center Hill.

North Delta could only manage three more runs the rest of the game and never put a dent in the Center Hill lead.

In top of the fourth, Sy Pritchard got hit by a pitch to get on base. The bases were loaded with Pritchard, Will Magee and William Dean when Chase Coker was also hit by a pitch to force in a run by Pritchard.

In top of the fifth, the Green Wave had loaded the bases with Bailey Guckert, hit by a pitch and Luke Latham and Hunter Durham, both walks. Pritchard singled to drive home Guckert and keep the bases loaded. Magee’s fielder’s choice drove home John McKay, who was running for Latham for the final run of the game.

North Delta scored five runs on four hits. Hunter Durham took the loss on the mound pitching two innings while Blake Snyder pitched in relief.

Against Horn Lake, the Green Wave played an improved game. North Delta limited its errors to four compared to 11 in the first game.

As the visiting team, North Delta got first bat and went ahead 2-0 on runs by Guckert and Latham. Both had singled to get on base. Latham’s single drove home Guckert while Ethan Waldrip’s single drove home Durham.

Horn Lake jumped ahead, scoring three runs in bottom of the first and scored one in bottom of the second and fourth.

North Delta managed one more run in top of the third and were shut down the rest of the game. In the third, Guckert walked and scored on a throwing error from the first baseman for the team’s last run of the game.

Waldrip took the loss on the mound, pitching the complete game in six innings. He faced 28 batters, allowed eight hits, five earned runs and struck out two.

The Green Wave’s nine days off were due to the weather. Tunica forfeited the March 6 game. The March 8 game against Lake Cormorant was canceled due to heavy rains in the area.

The two games at Delta Academy Monday were also canceled due to heavy rains in the area. North Delta played Independence Thursday afternoon to close their appearance at the Oxford tournament, but the score was not available at press time.

When school resumes next week, North Delta will start district play against Carroll at home Tuesday at 4 and 6 p.m.