NATCHEZ &045;&045; Ben Farmer just couldn’t help himself.

He circled first base with his arms pumped high, and then he held them almost straight out like he was about to do the bird. He picked the best time possible to hit his first home run of the season, and it sparked his Scott’s Welding team to a 9-5 win over El Toro Oil in the city championship of the Natchez Dixie Youth Minor League.

For a team that was hoping to avoid giving up a home run to El Toro’s Christopher Perry &045;&045; intentionally walked all three times up &045;&045; Scott’s Welding got a huge blast from someone no one would have thought twice of putting on base.

&uot;When it went up, it was going so far,&uot; Farmer said. &uot;I knew it was going out. When I hit another one about three games ago, it didn’t go as far. When I hit it that time, I could feel it. And it felt so good. I knew we were going to win.&uot;

The three-run blast to deep center &045;&045; Farmer was told it went 218 feet &045;&045; turned the tables and gave Scott’s Welding a 6-4 lead in the fifth after El Toro led all the way up until then. But it was an intentional walk in front of Farmer &045;&045; one of four in the game &045;&045; that came back to haunt El Toro.

With Scott’s Welding trailing 4-3 heading into the fifth, Trevor Farmer reached second base on an error before El Toro put Williams on base to get the force. Farmer then hit the 2-2 pitch over the fence in center, giving the team a spark it needed to take its second straight city title over the same El Toro team.

&uot;Trevor got a good hit and got on first, and Trevor Williams got up and they intentionally walked him,&uot; Scott’s Welding coach Gary Farmer said. &uot;I thought it was a good move. Me and Ben had a little talk, and I said, ‘Ben, all we need is a little contact.’ He made contact.&uot;

Farmer ended the game a triple short of the cycle after doubling in the second and singling in the third. Scott’s Welding tacked on another run in the fifth when Chamberlin Graves singled and later scored on an error to break the game open at 7-4.

&uot;Ben has hit it well in practice,&uot; Scott’s Welding head coach Al Hall said. &uot;But that’s practice, and he finally brought it to the game.&uot;

El Toro, however, answered with a run in the fifth despite power-hitting Perry getting intentionally walked for the third time in the game. Jamon Gray scored in the fifth to cut it to 7-5, but Scott’s Welding tacked on two more in the sixth when Melvin Guillot and Trevor Farmer each scored on errors.

Then in the sixth El Toro put together a rally with at second and third and two outs with Perry on deck. But Scott’s Welding pitcher Williams got a strikeout to end the game.

&uot;That hurt us,&uot; El Toro coach Tom Middleton said of the three passes to Perry. &uot;That’s one of the best players in the league right there on both sides. They’ve walked him several times this year. At the end of the year they quit throwing to him because he was putting them out in the yard. He’s crushed the ball all year.&uot;

For Scott’s Welding, the decision not to pitch to Perry worked out. In the first inning Perry received an intentional walk with the bases loaded to score Hunter Norris, but El Toro got just one more run in that inning instead of yielding a grand slam.

In the second Perry got a free pass with two runner on and two outs, but Williams got the next batter on a strikeout to end the inning.

&uot;Christopher Perry is such a dominant hitter and dominant player,&uot; Gary Farmer said. &uot;We thought it would be smart baseball with runner on base and a close game to walk him. I hate it because me and him are buddies. But as far as baseball, it’s like Barry Bonds &045;&045; you’ve got to walk him. He’s probably the strongest hitter in the league.&uot;

It helped Williams settle in on the mound and allow just one hit &045;&045; a Gray RBI single in the second &045;&045; after entering in relief with no outs in the first inning. In the second Gray singled in Eric Glatzer, and Avery Middleton scored on a wild pitch for a 4-0 El Toro lead.

But in the second things started to unravel for El Toro when Scott’s Welding loaded the bases with one out. An errant throw back to the pitcher sailed into center field, and Jacob Wagner and Guillot each scored with Williams ended at third.

Ben Farmer then singled in Williams to cut it to 4-3.

&uot;The routine play of throwing the ball back to the pitcher &045;&045; that’s what hurt us,&uot; Middleton said. &uot;I’d never dream that would be the play that hurt us. That was the big play of the game to me. That’s what turned it around right there.&uot;