photo by Ben Hillyer

Daniel Garrity, right, celebrates after scoring a run in the bottom of the fifth inning as Jace Calcote extends his hand for a high five. Both Garrity and Calcote drove in key runs from their spots in the bottom of the Natchez order.

Bottom of the order comes through for Natchez 10s

By Jeff Edwards (Contact) | The Natchez Democrat

Published Friday, July 3, 2009

NATCHEZ — Natchez 10-year-old All-Star coach Gary Farmer has long said that his team has all 12 players contribute instead of having just a few stars.

That was proven true on Thursday night when the bottom of the batting order came through for Natchez in a 7-4 win over Franklin County in the District 6 Sub-District Tournament championship game.

“I told the team tonight that we don’t win with just the top of the order hitting,” Farmer said. “We have got all 12 players that can step up at any time, and you saw that tonight.”

With the game tied at four in the bottom of the fifth inning, No. 9 batter Daniel Garrity came to the plate with runners on the corners and one out.

Garrity got two quick strikes on him, but after a pep talk from Farmer, drove the next pitch back up the middle to drive in what turned out to be the game-winning run.

“He told me that second strike was the one I wanted,” Garrity said. “He said just get up there and hit it, and I really relaxed. When I got that hit up the middle that scored the run, I was real proud of myself.”

Natchez tacked on two more runs that inning on a couple of wild pitches to give Natchez pitcher Craig Bradley some more breathing room.

Bradley came on to pitch in the fourth inning in relief of Gabe Smith and retired all nine Franklin County batters he faced to pick up the win.

“Gabe Smith did his job for three innings, and Craig Bradley came in and just set them down in order,” Farmer said. “It was a great pitching performance.”

Natchez had a tough road through the tournament, having to battle through the loser’s bracket the entire way after losing its first game last Friday.

Thursday’s championship game epitomized the tournament for Natchez, as they had to come back from a two-run deficit two different times.

Franklin County took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a two-run single by Seth Bivens, but Natchez came right back to tie it in the bottom of the inning on a two-run homer by Zac Flattman.

“Zac hit an absolute bomb,” Farmer said. “The boys just went crazy when he hit it.”

Flattman said he felt he needed to do something to give his team back the momentum.

“When I hit it I knew it was gone,” he said. “It was important to get the team started. After my shot, everybody started hitting it.”

It was Flattman’s second homer of the tournament, and both came against Franklin County.

“I guess I just like to hit against them,” Flattman said.

Franklin County would retake the lead with two runs in the top of the third inning, but once again, Natchez would rally in the bottom of the inning to tie the score again, and once again it was the bottom of the order that came through.

Jace Calcote drove in Garrity with a single to cut the lead to one run and then Gage Dossett hit a line drive off Franklin County pitcher Bivens to score Calcote and tie the game.

Bradley then came into the game to pitch and didn’t allow a Franklin County runner to reach base and setting up Garrity’s game-winner in the fifth.

With the sub-district championship, Natchez advances to the District 6 championship series against McComb.

Game 1 of the three-game series is at 7 p.m. Monday at Duncan Park in Natchez.

Flattman said Natchez’s battle through the loser’s bracket to win the sub-district tournament will help the team going into the district series.

“It sure does give us confidence,” Flattman said. “Everything else will seem easier now.”