NATCHEZ — The Natchez 10-year-old All-Star team may not have won the South State championship, but they are still only three wins away from playing in the Dixie Youth World Series in Laurel.

Natchez will play North State champion Indianola tonight at 8 p.m. in the opening game.

The tournament is a round-robin format with the top two teams in from the north and the south playing each other once.

The team with the best record at the end of the three games will go to the Dixie Youth World Series.

Natchez will play South State champion Hattiesburg at 10 a.m. Saturday, and then play North State runner-up Philadelphia at 6 p.m. Saturday.

For Natchez, it is a chance to redeem itself after losing twice to Hattiesburg in the South State Tournament and finishing runner-up.

“Everybody starts with no losses,” Natchez coach Gary Farmer said. “The best record wins the state championship and goes to the World Series in Laurel.”

Farmer said the Natchez team wants to make up for last year, when they came into the state tournaments as the favorites, but were upset in the opening game and fell short of a state title.

“The kids remember what happened last year,” Farmer said. “They’re fired up and ready to go. They want to win state and go to the World Series. It would be a lifetime memory for them.”

But in order for them to make that memory, Farmer said Natchez must be more consistent hitting the ball.

Natchez was shut out 3-0 in the south state tournament championship game by Hattiesburg on Wednesday.

“It seems like we’ll have a great game and then a flat game,” Farmer said. “We’ve got to be more consistent with our bats every game. We’ve pitched the ball well, but the defense has hurt us a little bit and our bats have been up and down. We need to be up in all three games.”

The tournament will take place in Hattiesburg, and Farmer said the support the team has received from Natchez fans is outstanding.

“We’ve had a great group from Natchez not only at the tournament, but people listening on the radio,” Farmer said. “I’ve had so many texts and calls after the games. I’m thankful for the fan support we’ve had.”

Each of Natchez’s games can be heard on 107.1 The River.