The United Mississippi Bank team went into Monday night’s 2001 Natchez Dixie Youth Coach Pitch city championship series against National League champion Byrne Insurance undefeated at 9-0 and as American League champions.

It left as city champions and finished its season at 11-0 after sweeping the best-of-three series at Sprague-Gousset Field, winning the first game 18-10 and the second game 15-7.

UMB had a combined 59 hits in the two games – 31 in the first game and 28 in the second game.

&uot;I had no idea we had that many hits,&uot; said UMB coach Gary Farmer. &uot;The other coach (Byrne Insurance’s Jerry Beatty) said this is the best-hitting coach pitch team he’s ever seen.&uot;

UMB shortstop Dylan Pressgrove made the play of the series, first catching Chase Kyzar’s line drive, then tagging out William Butler at third and finally running over to second to tag out Holden Braswell for an unassisted triple play.

&uot;Dylan Pressgrove made the most fantastic unassisted triple play I’ve ever seen,&uot; said coach Al Hall.

In the second game, UMB led Byrne by only four runs after four innings of play, 10-6, before outscoring Byrne 5-1 in the final inning and a half to preserve the win and the city championship.

&uot;This is the best bunch of kids you can ask for a baseball team,&uot; Farmer said. &uot;They have a lot of heart. They deserved to be called city champs.&uot;

&uot;All my boys have played like the real winners they are all year,&uot; Hall said. &uot;I’m very proud of them.&uot;