Leonard Farms manager Tim Leonard believes his team’s offense has found its spark.
Trustmark manager Clifford Holifield is still waiting for his team’s engine to start revving.
After both managers watched their respective teams struggle at the plate most of this McComb Dixie Youth Baseball season, Leonard finally saw his team start swinging the bats in Leonard Farms’ 9-1, three-inning victory over Trustmark in 9-to-10-year-olds action Friday night at Edgewood Park.
Leonard had just four hits, but made them count, along with seven walks and two hit batsmen while improving to 6-5 on the season.
“If you don’t score, it’s hard to win,” Leonard said. “Most of our losses have been one-run losses. We’ve got to make sure our bats stay hot.”
Leonard Farms jumped out to a quick 5-0 first-inning lead. Logan Larrimore led off with a double, and later scored on a wild pitch. Kole Alford, who reached on a walk, took third on the same play. He scored on an Adam Leonard single to make it 2-0.
Later, Trent Coleman was hit by a pitch and Matai Garcia earned the team’s third walk of the inning to load the bases. Chance Lea followed with a single to deep short that scored both aaron Stewart, who reached on a walk, and Coleman to make it 4-0.
The inning was capped when Garcia scored on a wild pitch for the fifth run.
Leonard Farms padded its lead in the second inning. After leadoff walks to Mauri Garcia and Codie Hewitt, Larrimore blooped a soft single to left field that scored Garcia to make it 6-0.
Alford reached on a sharp grounder misplayed by the shortstop. The ball trickled into center field for an error, allowing Hewitt to score.
Larrimore also tried to score when the Trustmark center fielder’s throw sailed over the head of third baseman Zalon Wells, but ricocheted to catcher Trevor Ellis, who tagged Larrimore for the out.
Alford, who moved all the way to third on the play, scored on Stewart’s infield groundout to make it 8-0.
Trustmark (6-6) scored its only run of the game in the third inning when Jenner McInnis touched the plate on a bases loaded walk.
Despite not getting the shutout, Tim Leonard said he was pleased with his team’s pitching.
“Adam and Logan did a super job fighting through,” he said.
Leonard Farms added a final run in the bottom of the third when Matai Garcia reached on a fielding error. Garcia continued to second base and, after the Trustmark right fielder’s throw sailed over Chapman at second base, Garcia circled the bases.
Clifford Holifield said he still awaits the day his team will have a complete effort.
“We have yet to have a game,” he said, “when we make more routine outs than errors.”
