Batesville Bombers
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, July 14, 2009
The 12U Batesville Bombers came in second place in the state tournament held at J.P. Hudson this past weekend. Team members and coaches include (first row, l to r) Laura Beth Parker, Anna Lloyd, Madison Atkinson, Maribeth Johns, Julianna Morrow; (second row, l to r) assistant coach Katherine Eckles, Courtney DuBravec, Peyton Rico, Hastings Neal, Hanna Heafner, Katherine Rich; (third row, l to r) coaches Derek DuBravec, Lee Rico, Teddy Morrow and Johnathan Johns. The Panolian photo by Myra Bean
By Myra Bean
It was so close they could taste it, but in the end they would be denied.
The Batesville Bomber 12 and under softball team walked through the competition the first two days of the North State tournament held at J.P. Hudson Park this weekend, but fell to the Pontotoc Americans, Backyard Burger Babes, in two deciding games Sunday afternoon, 9-5, 6-1.
The catch was the Bombers team had defeated the Americans in the opening game Thursday night 6-3. The Americans had played Corinth in the game before that and won. The Americans had to play nine games during the tournament in order to win the championship.
Batesville played five and had a first round bye.
Batesville was off on Friday while the Americans, who dropped to the loser’s bracket after losses to Batesville, defeated the Pontotoc Nationals on Friday. Saturday the Americans defeated Senatobia, Hernando and Saltillo, to set up their march to the championship games on Sunday. In the early game Sunday, they defeated Southaven, then Batesville in the last two games of the day.
Saturday, Batesville defeated Saltillo 10-3 and then took down Southaven 10-2.
On the mound for Batesville were Peyton Rico and Courtney DuBravec. Rico pitched the first two games and the first game Sunday to exit the tournament 2-1. DuBravec was 1-1.
Rico faced 85 batters in the three games, striking out 11, allowing 13 runs, 20 hits and walking seven. DuBravec faced 49 batters in two games, striking out 14, walking seven, allowing nine runs and 11 hits.
On the offense for the Bombers, Anna Lloyd led with six hits including one double, and three RBIs (runs batted in). Hastings Neal also had six hits including one double and two RBIs.
Julianna Morrow had four hits including a double and three RBIs, followed by Madison Atkinson with four hits, one RBI; Rico, four hits, two RBIs; and Laura Beth Parker, four hits, two RBIs.
Other hitters include Hanna Heafner, two hits, two RBIs; Katherine Rich, two hits, two walks; Maribeth Johns, two hits, one RBI; and DuBravec, four walks.
The Bombers will play in the World Series in Southaven beginning Thursday, July 23 through Sunday, July 26.
