By Brad Greer

For the first three games of the Dizzy Dean North State tournament, the Batesville 9-and-under All-Star baseball team made things look too easy by outscoring opponents 47-9 to advance to Sunday afternoon’s championship game at J. P. Hudson Park.

Batesville found themselves in unfamiliar territory by trailing 10-8 to New Albany, a team they had pounded 17-2 on Saturday. But an eight-run outburst in the bottom of the fifth propelled the host team to a 16-10 victory and a trip the Dizzy Dean World Series July 14-18 at Snowden Grove Park in Southaven.

“I think the kids came into the game a little overconfident after beating them pretty good Saturday, but New Albany came out fighting and looked like they wanted it more than we did. We had to get our heads on straight and battle back,” said Batesville head coach Tim West.

After dropping into the losers’ bracket, New Albany won three games in a span of 24 hours to reach the title game where they would have had to beat Batesville twice for the championship.

“We figured if we could keep the game close in the late innings we would be in good shape. I had my two best pitchers left and they were almost out of pitching. Another key factor was in every game of the tournament we have had a big inning and I felt it was only a matter of time before we had one today. We’ve taught these kids never to give up and they didn’t today,” said West.

Dre’ Moore’s leadoff walk got the rally started in the fifth. Two batters later Weslan Morgan singled, followed by back-to-back singles from Tanner Jaudon and Caleb White that produced runs.

Haze Smith and Trevor Bailey continued the rally with singles before Drake Barton delivered the big blow with a two-run double.

New Albany loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth but could not get a run across as Morgan slammed the door on the victory. Morgan picked up the win in relief of Caleb West who tossed the first three innings.

Batesville took a 3-1 lead after two innings before New Albany struck for six runs in the third to take a 7-3 advantage. Batesville closed the margin 7-6 with three runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Both teams would add two runs in the fourth before New Albany pushed across a run in the fifth to take a 10-8 lead before Batesville’s outbreak in the bottom half of the frame.

Batesville opened the tournament Thursday by hammering the Southaven Marlins 16-3 before easing past Southaven Nationals 14-4 Saturday.

“I told the kids if we won North State I would give them the week off to rest up for the World Series. So we are going take it easy and get back at it next week,” said West.

The 6-and-under Batesville Red Sox  also gave a strong showing by finishing fourth in the 13-team field.

The Sox blasted Hernando Nationals 22-0 then outslugged Greenwood 29-21 Thursday before losing to Calhoun Co. 26-18 in a winners’ bracket contest Friday afternoon.

Batesville staved off elimination with a 21-6 win over Pontotoc Saturday before dropping a 26-14 verdict to Hernando American later in the day.

Landon Roberts reached base and scored four times in the victory over Hernando National. Landon Dickinson and Luke West both  doubled and singled and scored three runs.

Eli Raines and Roberts paced Batesville with three runs in their loss to Calhoun County while Dickinson, Grayson Roberts and Taylor Heafner crossed the dish twice.