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NATCHEZ — For the second straight Tuesday, Natchez High School’s varsity baseball team failed to register a base hit. And both times the Bulldogs were no-hit by their opponent have occurred in a home game at Chester Willis Field.

On Tuesday, March 26, Natchez High was no-hit by Class 6A Hattiesburg High School in a 21-4 setback in five innings. Last Tuesday afternoon, it was Florence High School’s RJ Davis who stepped to the mound and threw a no-hitter as the Eagles took care of the Bulldogs 17-0 in just three innings in an MHSAA Region 3-5A match-up.

Davis pitched all three innings for Florence and he struck out six batters and walked three. And the defense behind him did not commit a single error for the Eagles, who are now in second place by themselves in the Region 3-5A standings.

The Eagles were only ahead 2-0 after two innings of play before striking for 15 runs off both starting pitcher Brylon McDaniel and relief pitcher Mason Bouldin in the top of the third inning to put the game completely out of reach.

Six of the eight runs that McDaniel gave up occurred in the top of the third. He went just two-plus innings and gave up just one hit. Five of those eight runs McDaniel allowed were earned. He also struck out just one batter and walked seven batters.

Bouldin struggled on the mound in his one inning of relief as he gave up nine runs, seven of them earned, on five hits, three walks, and two hit batters with no strikeouts.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, the Bulldogs’ defense was just as bad as they committed six errors. Head coach Dan Smith recently said that if Natchez High was to accumulate some wins in region play and finally get in the playoff hunt, the Bulldogs would have to pitch well and play good defense. That was obviously not the case on Tuesday against Florence (14-9, 5-4).

JaBoris Buckley went 2-for-2, was walked once, and scored two runs. Rylan McFall went 1-for-3 with a double, three runs batted in, and one run scored while Andrew Woods went 1-for-3 with a double, two RBIs, and two runs scored.

Ace McCallum was 1-for-1, was walked twice, and had two RBIs as well as three runs scored. Easton Garvin was 1-for-2, was walked once, and had two RBIs along with two runs scored. Hayden Boykin did not have any base hits, but he was walked twice, had one RBI, and scored two runs.

Only three players for Natchez High reached base. Jaylin Davis, Matravis Woods, and Antonio Crenshaw were each walked once. Both Davis and Woods had one stolen base, but both of them were also stranded at second base.

Efforts to reach coach Smith on Wednesday morning for comments about the game were unsuccessful.

Natchez High (11-11, 0-4) will be on the road Friday when they take on Florence for a pivotal Region 3-5A varsity doubleheader at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.