By Myra Bean

Bookend losses marked the Batesville Breeze 8u (8 and under) All-Star softball team’s appearance at the North State Tournament last weekend.

The Breeze outscored its opponents 40-34 in the four games it played. The opening game was an 11-4 loss to Hernando.

The bats came alive for the Breeze in the second game against Mantachie where they won 13-5.

The Breeze had runners on first and third in the first inning with three runs in and two outs. Jaiden Green rocketed a hit to the center field for a homerun to drive home Taylor Haney and Kaitlyn Tidwell for the maximum five runs allowed per inning for the 5-2 lead.

Chloe Russell scored the Breeze’s only run in the second inning. She got on base on a fielder’s choice and scored on an Andrea Berryhill RBI (run batted in) single. After Mantachie scored two runs in top of the second, the Batesville lead was 6-4.

Mantachie was held to one run in the third inning which turned out to be its last run.

Batesville scored two runs in the bottom of the third inning. Tidwell and Green both singled to get on base and scored on passed balls.

Batesville broke open the lead in the bottom of the fourth, again scoring the maximum five runs. Presley Williams was the third batter and hit a two RBI triple to score Savannah Cranford and Russell, both of whom had singled.

Berryhill followed with a RBI triple to drive home Williams. Tristan Goddard singled and came home on a Haney RBI triple to close out the scoring.

Later that night, the Breeze hosted Pontotoc and won 18-12.

Pontotoc took a 5-4 lead after the first inning. In the bottom of the first, Williams beat out the throw to first base for the single and came home on a Haney two RBI single. Haney’s RBI  also scored Berryhill who had singled to get on base. With two outs on the board, Mackenzie Johnson hit a two RBI single to drive home Mary Grace Dickerson who had singled and Green who got on base on a fielder’s choice.

Batesville took a one-run lead, 7-6, in the second inning. Berryhill hit a two RBI triple to drive home Cranford and Russell and  Berryhill scored on an RBI by Goddard who grounded out to the pitcher.

Both teams had some defensive troubles in the third inning and while the offenses took advantage. Both scored five runs in the inning. Pontotoc took an 11-7 lead, making only one out.

Batesville scored all five runs with no outs. The bottom half of the Breeze batting order got on base and scored all the runs. Griffin Rico hit a two-run RBI to drive home Green and Isabella Morrow. With bases loaded, Russell hit a two-run RBI single to drive home Johnson and Rico. Berryhill’s single drove home the final run of the inning scoring Russell.

The coaches met with the team members right before they took the field for defense in the fourth. Whatever was said worked as Batesville held Pontotoc to one run in the fourth and none in the fifth.

Batesville however scored five more runs in the fourth inning and had to score only one in the fifth for the win.

Mary Grace Dickerson’s RBI single drove home Goddard. Green’s single RBI drove home Haney. Morrow’s RBI single scored Dickerson.

Johnson’s RBI single scored Green.

Russell’s grounded out to the pitcher but drove home Morrow for the final run of the inning. In the fifth, Berryhill hit a one-run RBI double to drive home Williams for the final run of the game.

The 8u girls lost to the Pontotoc Diamond Divas 6-5 Saturday morning in what was a must-win game to stay alive in the tournament.