By Brad Greer

Eight Batesville All-Star baseball teams from J.P. Hudson Park participated in Dizzy Dean North State tournaments in various locations over with the weekend. Batesville did not enter an All-Star team in the 9-year-old division.

6-year-olds

The Batesville 6U club garnered a fifth-place finish in a 14-team field at Senatobia. They beat All-Star teams from Horn Lake, Louisville, Calhoun City and Clarksdale before losing to Southaven and Greenwood.

7-year-olds

The Batesville 7U All-Stars finished third in their tournament. They fell to Greenwood in the opening round game at Starkville then reeled off five straight wins before losing to Clarksdale Sunday.

8-year-olds

The Batesville 8-year-old All-Stars finished runner-up in the State Overall championship with a loss to Starkville Monday in Hernando.

The 8U team’s second place in the state finish came on the heels of a hard fought North State championship earned earlier the same day with a doubleheader win over Southaven.

Batesville had beaten Delta Sports, Water Valley, and Senatobia earlier in the weekend before getting sent to the losers bracket by Southaven.

The 8’s stormed back Monday morning, beating Southaven at 10 a.m. and again at noon to win the North State title. After a short break they took on Starkville National (the No. 2 team from the South State) and then Starkville American (the No. 1 seed) in the final game.

10-year-olds

Facing the tall task of defeating a tough Clarksdale Coyote  squad then having to beat Houston twice to win the Dizzy Dean North State Championship Monday on its home turf, the Bombers could not buy a hit as they fell 13-0 in five innings thus earning a third place finish.

Clarksdale grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning and never looked back, scoring four in the second followed by a big six-run fifth frame to put the game away.

Batesville’s lone scoring threat came in the bottom of the first as Landyn Simmerman drew a leadoff walk before advancing  to third on a Luke Alexander single, the Bombers only hit of the game. Both runners were stranded on base as a popup and strikeout ended the inning.

Clarksdale starting pitcher Ty Davis retired the next 10  batters in a row before walking Tyson Lee in the fifth inning.

11-year-olds

The 11U All-Stars traveled to Greenwood for their State Tournament. They lost to Starkville in the opening round Thursday, then beat Horn Lake that night and Greenville the next day.

The 11s were eliminated Friday afternoon against a good Caledonia team. Clarksdale won the championship.

12-year-olds

The 12s traveled to Grenada where they defeated Greenville and Indianola before losing to Grenada

Rec to enter the losers bracket.

From there the 12s beat Senatobia Saturday and Horn Lake on Sunday before heading home after a loss to Greenwood. The host Grenada team won the tournament.

Cutline:  The Batesville Bombers 10U team finished third in the North State Championship at J.P. Hudson Park Monday. Team members are (front, from left) Carlos Robinson, Tyson Lee, Jace Hill, Paxton Hall, Luke Alexander, (middle) Gabe Ward, Isaiah Baker, Brayden Gray, Brooks Elliott, Landyn Simmerman, (back) Joe Lee, Jeremy Ward, and Bryan Hall. (Glennie Pou)