By By Jimmy Boone/special to The Star
July 12, 2003
After the lightning and the thunder, Meridian rained down the runs on Vicksburg as they took a 11-1 first round win in the 13-year-old Babe Ruth State Baseball Tournament at Q.V. Sykes Park on Friday.
In other action St. Martin defeated Columbus 14-2 and later took a 10-0 win over Corinth.
In the final game of the evening Meridian defeated Long Beach 9-0 .
Meridian was leading 7-1 in the sixth inning of the opener when a lightning filled the sky and both teams ran to the dugouts.
Meridian head coach Mike Newell said he was confident the games would resume at the new park.
Meridian did not score in the first two innings, but put four runs on the scoreboard in third inning.
Tyler Covington singled in D.J. Roberts and then scored along with Brandon Key when Chase Naylor hit a two-RBI single. Naylor scored the final run of the inning when Kameron Heiser reached on an error.
In the fourth inning Addison Swink came home when Key singled. Heiser ripped a big double in the fifth inning and then scored off a Vicksburg error.
Vicksburg scored its only run in the sixth inning when Christopher May hit into a fielder's choice.
In the seventh inning Swink scored as Roberts reached on another Vicksburg error.
Newell said a key to the win was the pitching of Michael McKenzie who pitched six innings and only gave up one hit.
After the skies cleared, the crews readied the fields to resume action.
Naylor singled in Roberts and Key scored when Newell reached on an error.
McKenzie then ended the game with a single that scored the 11th run, allowing Meridian to win by the 10-run rule.
In the late game, Meridian again found success at the bat.
Meridian scored four runs in the first inning and added three in the fifth.
Meridian will return to action today at 5 p.m. as they play St. Martin in the winners bracket. The winner of that game will advance to the championship game on Sunday.
St. Martin advanced to the semi-finals by claiming two wins also.
In the first game of the day, St. Martin scored 11 runs in the fourth inning as they defeated Columbus 14-2.
Coyt Hebert keyed the inning with two singles, including two RBIs and two runs scored.
Harred Rogers added a three-RBI double and later scored to also help
St. Martin in the win. In the nightcap, St. Martin scored six funs in the first inning and three in the third inning.
The 10th run of the game came in the fourth inning.
Action will resume this morning as Columbus plays Long Beach at 8 a.m. and Vicksburg and Corinth meet at 11.
Meridian and St. Martin will then play at 5 p.m.