By Brad Greer

Having lost the opening game of the Dizzy Dean North State tournament Thursday, the Batesville 10-year old All- Stars found themselves facing elimination in three consecutive games but through grit and determination battled their way to a third place finish while garnering the team Sportsmanship Award.

After losing to Clarksdale 12-1 in the first game, Batesville earned a forfeit victory over Hernando Friday then faced Oxford later that day in a losers bracket contest.

Led by a strong relief performance from Landon Roberts and the hitting of Blake Douglas, Batesville blew open a 3-3 game in the second by scoring eight runs in the final three innings to take an 11-4 victory.

Douglas recorded a single and two triples while driving in five runs  as Batesville battled Oxford pitching to the tune of 10 hits. 

Grayson Alford and Roberts collected two singles each while W. J. Hannaford singled and drove in a pair of runs. Chris Grant and Hunter Burrus each supplied singles in the winning effort.

Roberts earned the pitching win in relief by striking out seven and allowing one hit in three innings of work.  Douglas started the game on the hill and went three innings, fanning four while scattering three hits and walking three batters. 

Batesville returned to the diamond Saturday after waiting through a two-hour weather delay and got its revenge on Senatobia by sending its Tate County rivals home with an 11-1 victory in four innings. 

For the second straight game, Batesville broke open a close game with a big inning as this time an eight-run third proved to be the difference maker. Janerro Humphrey paced the home team at the plate with two doubles and four RBI’s including a bases clearing double in the third.

Alford chipped in with two singles and two runs driven in followed by Hannaford with an RBI double in the third. Burrus singled and scored two runs while Xavier McFadden walked twice and scored a pair of runs. Nick Byrd also added a run in the third inning.

  Hannaford earned the pitching win by going three innings while Alford tossed a scoreless fourth inning by striking out the side.

   Then with a spot in  Sunday’s championship game awaiting, Batesville squared off against Clarksdale but came up on the short end of the scoreboard with a 13-2 loss.

 Batesville collected three hits as Alford doubled while Hannaford and Keyshawn Washington each singled. Will Massey and Washington scored the only runs for Batesville in the loss.