NATCHEZ — One night after being upset in the first game of the Dixie Youth District 6 Sub-District Tournament, the Natchez 10-year-old All-Stars came back strong.

Natchez jumped out to a 12-0 lead after four-and-a-half innings en route to a 16-6 win over Wesson in an elimination game Saturday night.

Natchez, which is one of the favorites to win the tournament, was put in the loser’s bracket after a 10-9 loss to Franklin County in a game that began Friday night and didn’t end until 12:05 Saturday morning.

Natchez coach Gary Farmer was critical of the late start time and said it affected his team in the loss.

“The difference in the two games was (Saturday) we didn’t have to wait two hours after we warmed up to play,” Farmer said. “We lost our focus (Friday) night and couldn’t get it back. We came out focused in this game and played well.”

Natchez jumped out on top of Wesson with two runs in each of the first three innings to take a 6-0 lead.

Natchez then scored a run in the top of the fourth and five more in the top of the fifth to go up 12-0.

Natchez only had eight hits in the game but was helped out by five Wesson errors.

Zac Flattman, who hit a home run in Friday’s game, Reed White and Craig Bradley led the Natchez hitting attack. Each of them had two hits with one of them being a double.

Still, Farmer would like to see his team hit the ball better as they go deeper in the tournament.

“We’re still not hitting the ball as well as we should,” Farmer said. “In order to beat good teams, you’ve got to be able to hit. Hopefully the bats will come to life. If not, we’re going to be in trouble.”

But the way Jacob Jenkins pitched for Natchez Saturday evening, they didn’t need much hitting.

Jenkins pitched a masterful game for the first four innings before tiring a bit in the fifth and allowing four runs.

Wesson only recorded one hit in the first four innings, and he was erased trying to stretch a double into a triple in the first.

No one else reached base until the fifth inning, when Natchez already had a 12-0 lead.

“Jacob did a fine job of keeping the batters off balance,” Farmer said. “He’s a competitor and he loves to be the person in charge. Tonight he was that. He did all we asked of him.”

Natchez survived its first elimination game and will play in another at 6 p.m. Monday against Lincoln County Americans.

The Americans lost its opener Friday to Copiah, 20-10.

Even though they are fighting back through the loser’s bracket, Farmer still believes his team has what it takes to win the tournament.

“I believe 100 percent in these kids,” Farmer said. “There’s no quit in them. They lose like champs and win like champs. I firmly believe that we’ll be in the tournament championship game on Wednesday night.”