LONGVIEW, Texas — The Concordia 11-year-old All-Stars got off to a slow start, but finished strong as they defeated the East Ouachita All-Stars 10-4 Saturday morning in the first game of the day at the O-Zone Regional World Series.

Rhett McDonald came in for starting pitcher Caleb Smith and held East Ouachita to just one run, which was key in the Concordia 11s’ impressive comeback win. Smith ended up with a no decision after East Ouachita scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning.

“It was tough. We came out sluggish. The first two innings we came out very, very sluggish,” assistant coach Devin Barnes said. “Before the third inning, I told them ‘You act like you’re down 10-0. We’ve still got an hour and 45 minutes left’. I think the pep talk I gave them got them back in the game.”

The Concordia 11s scored three runs in the top of the third inning, but East Ouachita responded with one run in the bottom of the third to tie the game at 3-3. Concordia took the lead for good with two runs in the top of the fourth inning and then put the game away with five runs in the top of the fifth.

East Ouachita scored one run off closer Matthew Parnham, but it was not nearly enough. Parnham picked up the save. Despite his troubles on the mound, Smith went 1-for-3 at the plate.

C.J. Chatman went 1-for-2 with a double while McDonald was 1-for-3. Brett Walsworth was 1-for-2 and Eli Brown was 1-for-3. The Concordia 11s were also aided by nine East Ouachita errors.

Ozark (Ala.) 6, East Central (La.) 2

CHIPLEY, Fla. — The East Central Pre-Majors All-Stars, one of two teams representing Louisiana, could not come up with any key hits as they lost to Ozark (Ala.) 6-2 Saturday afternoon in the first round of the 2014 Dixie Youth Pre-Majors World Series at Chipley High School.

East Central led Ozark 1-0 after one inning of play and held that lead until the top of the fourth inning, when Ozark scored one run to tie the game. The representatives of Alabama took the lead for good with a two-run rally in the top of the fifth inning and then added two more runs an inning later for a 5-1 lead.

That was enough run support for winning pitcher Larry Mcmillen, who allowed two runs on eights hits and just one walk while striking out six batters. East Central’s only other run off him came in the bottom of the sixth inning. But Ozark got that run back in the top of the seventh.

Thomas Garrity took the loss after having a shaky effort on the mound. He allowed three runs on four hits and six walks to go with five strikeouts. Jake Barlow pitched the final two innings. He also gave up three runs on two hits and one walk with one strikeout.

Barlow went 3-for-4 with a double while both Garrity and Calvin McCarroll went 2-for-4. Devin Jiles led Ozark at the plate by going 2-for-3 while Mcmillen and James Whitmire each had two runs batted in.

The East Central Pre-Majors next play at 1 p.m. today against Arkansas (Southwest) in an elimination game.