PASCAGOULA —  The Lincoln County Americans romped past Hatley 19-4 Friday night in the opening round of the Dixie Youth Baseball AA 8s Coach/Pitch State Tournament. On Saturday, the Hattiesburg Americans edged Lincoln County 8-6. They regrouped and defeated Hamilton 15-4 Saturday night.

     Lincoln County plays Cleveland at 3 p.m. Sunday. The Americans are among 6 teams left in the 16-team field. A victory would advance  them to a 6 p.m. Sunday game. The top four finishers advance to the Dixie Youth Regional in Monroe, La., starting July 26.

 AL 19, Hatley 4

     J.P. Wallace singled, doubled and tripled in the victory. Payne Waldrop singled twice and doubled. Trevor Fortenberry singled and doubled. Mason Davis singled twice and doubled. Parker Moak tripled, doubled and singled. Riley Easterling singled twice and doubled. Jacob Rushing singled twice. Carter Holcomb singled twice and doubled. Trenton Tarver tripled, doubled and singled. Peyton Prather singled and doubled. Rayce Stewart singled twice. Peyton Reid singled and doubled.

     The Americans scored 7 runs in the  second and third innings and they added 5 more runs inn the fifth.

     Hatley got a single and a double from Colin Boyd. Tyler Guin singled twice.

 H’burg 8, AL 6

      A 4-run, fourth inning was decisive s the Hattiesburg Americans prevailed.

     At the plate, Wallace and Waldrop both singled and tripled. Fortenberry had 2 singles and double. Moak hit an inside-the-park homer. Tyler Easterling doubled. Tarver, Stewart and Prather singled twice. Rushing, Holcomb and Reid singled.

     Lincoln Co. plated 3 runs in the fourth and 3 more in the fifth.

     Hattiesburg got a 2-RBI double from Rankin.

 AL 15, Hamilton 4

     Wallace went 4-for-4, with 2 singles, a double and a triple. Waldrop and Fortenberry both doubled twice and singled. Davis singled twice and doubled. Tarver and Easterling doubled twice. Reid, Moak and Holcomb singled. Prather doubled and singled. Stewart doubled.

     The Americans took a 3-0, first-inning lead. They added 4 more runs in the second and 2 in the third.

     Cleveland got a triple from Harrison.