Good luck finding a coach from the 13-year-old Dixie Boys state tournament who knows how to hit a Colin Dollar curveball.

Don’t ask anyone with his Natchez team, either. They’re just glad they don’t have to face him in a game situation.

Even the right-hander can’t tell you much about it. Dollar, who will be at Adams Christian this school term, just throws it like anyone throws a curveball. When it’s on &045; like it was almost all of last week &045; he’ll catch a batter swinging like a rusty gate.

That’s what everyone in banking on this week as Natchez opens the Dixie Boys Junior World Series Thursday at Muscle Shoals, Ala.

&uot;Sometimes it was, and sometimes it wasn’t,&uot; Dollar said. &uot;Then it was breaking a lot, too. I can’t tell (when I’m on). When I get out there, if it works, it works.&uot;

Dollar’s hook got plenty of attention at the state tournament in Greenville, as did the entire Natchez pitching staff. Dollar teamed with workhorse starters Cole Mann and Aaron White to help the team get to the championship where it lost to Wayne County.

But thanks to the expanded format in Dixie Boys where the top two teams get tickets to the World Series, Natchez &045; and Dollar’s curveball &045; can keep the summer of dreams going.

&uot;They talk about Colin all over the state of Mississippi,&uot; Natchez head coach Mike Lazarus said. &uot;All the teams up there were told about Colin’s curveball. The coaches starting saying lay off it, but then he started throwing it for strikes.

&uot;His curveball &045; he can come sidearm or over the top. When he’s got two strikes on you, he owns you. He can throw it across the plate or middle-out. It was silly watching them fall down. He’s been throwing it ever since he was 10 years old, and I can’t believe he’s still got an arm.&uot;

Weapons like the curveball &045; and pitchers from White and Mann &045; are a big reason why the Natchez All-Stars are in the World Series this week. They open up a four-team pool Thursday and must win at least two games to get into bracket play that starts Saturday.

Natchez will be in a pool with Crosby, Texas; North Roanoke, Va.; and the host Muscle Shoals team in this group’s first trip to a World Series on any level.

&uot;First time ever to go to the World Series, and (last week) was our first time in the state tournament,&uot; Caleb Johnson said. &uot;I know it’s going to be something I’m going to remember for the rest of my life. This is just my opinion, but I think we can win it.&uot;

What’s made the trip sweet is not only getting to the World Series in their first trip to state but getting past a state tournament field where not many people thought Natchez would be one of the teams advancing.

&uot;They said, ‘If they let Natchez stay around too long, they’re going to win it all,’&uot; Mann said.

That’s enough right there.

&uot;I told the boys since we got this far, let’s go have fun,&uot; Lazarus said. &uot;Every day they stay up there is another day in baseball heaven. You’ve got to win games, but I told them let’s enjoy the moment.&uot;

The team’s hitting came around more as the tournament wore on last week in Greenville, and it complemented the solid pitching to get to the championship. But as the pitchers wore down and reached inning limits near the end, Wayne County was able to prevail in the championship game.

Now the break has given everyone a chance to regroup.

&uot;Aaron hits his spots real well, and I think Cole probably throws harder of the three,&uot; Lazarus said. &uot;He’s good to start a game with, and when you finish with Colin, that’s always good. Colin likes to come in. He likes to come in with the bases loaded and no outs. He just lives for the moment.&uot;

Johnson and R.J. Fleming provided power last week at the plate, but the coaches give some of the credit to Kent King, who took over the leadoff duties at the plate after Fleming was more comfortable down in the order.

&uot;Kent really finds a way to get on,&uot; Lazarus said. &uot;He walks a lot and finds a way to get there. He’s not as strong as the other bats, and they’ll play him deep. He’ll drop a lot of balls in. He likes his role as leadoff hitter &045; just get on base. He and my son (Rudy) are the same way &045; they’re the same mood if you won 100-0 or lost. They don’t let it get to them.&uot;

The trip to the World Series is also a first for Lazarus, now with some 20 years of Dixie Youth baseball coaching under his belt. At this point, everyone is going to have talent and it may be a matter who gets the breaks.

But some good pitching can go a long way in this thing.

&uot;Somebody is going to put the ball is play no matter who’s pitching, so you’ve got play defense,&uot; Lazarus said. &uot;But there are baseball gods up there smiling on you everywhere you go. Fly balls drop. There shouldn’t be anybody any better than us up there. If we get a break or two, no telling what can happen.&uot;