PONCHATOULA, La. — It took longer than Concordia Parish 9-year-old All-Stars head coach Buddy Brown would have liked for the offense to get going. But once it did, it was game over for Thibodaux.

The Concordia 9s scored seven runs in the top of the fifth inning to turn a close game into a blowout as they went on to defeat Thibodaux 9-1 Friday night in the opening round of the state tournament.

“It wasn’t a lot of action until late. It was 2-0 after four complete innings,” Brown said. “We started the first two innings like we played in the district tournament. Then they got the bats going. Pitchers still dominated.”

The Concordia 9s had some good pitching against Thibodaux. Winning pitcher Peyton Fort pitched three shutout innings and Sam Mosby went two innings and gave up one run.

At the plate, Brett Walsworth had a triple and C.J. Chatman added a double.

Vidalia continues the round-robin tournament with two games today, first against Ville Platte at 1 p.m. and then against Venton at 7 p.m.

Shreveport 6,

Concordia Parish 12s 2

HAUGHTON, La. — The Concordia Parish 12-year-old Dixie Youth All-Stars had their hands full with Shreveport, the top team in District 4, in the opening round of the state tournament.

Even though the Shreveport All-Stars struggled to get base hits, they were able to take advantage of some untimely miscues and the hits they got were key ones as they defeated the Concordia 12s Friday afternoon in five and a half innings.

“I’m pleased at the boys’ performance. They played pretty good,” Concordia 12s head coach Jamie Lancaster said. “We were just flat at the plate. We made a few errors in the field and didn’t have the timely hits with runners on base. We actually out­-hit them six to three.”

Joey Russell was charged with the loss despite allowing just three hits in three innings. Reid Richard came on in relief and pitched two innings of no-hit ball. The six runs Shreveport scored were they lowest run total it has been held to in tournament play.

The Concordia 12s will take on DeSoto in a losers’ bracket game today at 12:30 p.m. The winner of that game will play another game later on in the day.

Concordia 11s 15,

Alexandria 3

PONCHATOULA, La. — Trenton Miller continued a home-run hot-streak Friday night when he hit two dingers to lead the Concordia Parish 11-year-old All-Stars to a 15-3 win over Alexandria.

Miller hit five home runs in the district tournament last week.

Tristan Weatherly got the win for the Concordia 11s. He pitched three innings and gave up no hits in the contest.

The Concordia pitching staff combined to allow just one hit in the game.

Addison Curtis chipped in offensively with two doubles, and J’Veion Scott added a double of his own.

Concordia will face Haughton at 9 a.m. today.

Vidalia 7-8 girls All-Stars 12, Winn All-Stars 11

JONESBORO, La. — Cheyenne Morace scored the game-winning run when Lexi Maynard hit a one-out double in the bottom of the sixth inning to cap off a dramatic comeback for the Vidalia 7-8 All-Stars as they defeated the Winn All-Stars in the opeing round the state softball tournament.

Vidalia was trailing Winn 11-8 with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the fifth when Casey LaRue drove in all three runs with a double that tied game at 11-all.

The Vidalia 7-8s will next play at 8 p.m. Sunday when they take on an opponent to be determined.