NATCHEZ – The West Lincoln Bears captured a split in a varsity doubleheader against the Natchez Bulldogs Friday night.

In Game 1, the Bears secured a 7-6 win over the Bulldogs on a passed ball.

In Game 2, the Bulldogs squeezed past the Bears to claim a 6-5 win.

West Lincoln (3-2), coached by David Gilbert, begins division action Tuesday as the Bears travel to Prentiss to battle the Bulldogs. Junior varsity action begins at 4:30 p.m., followed by the varsity game at 6:30.

West Lincoln 7, Natchez 6 

Natchez jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, but West Lincoln fought back in the second with a triple by Lofton Sills, followed by Daniel Spears’s RBI single. The score was 1-1.

In the third, Natchez plated four runs, but the Bears managed to close the gap at 5-3 in the fourth inning on a triple by Dillon Griffin that scored Gabe Nations and Brady Thompson.

The Bulldogs gathered another run in the bottom of the fifth on a passed ball to extend the lead to 6-3.

In the seventh, the Bears got the spark that they needed when Spears and Nations reached on a walk. Thompson hit a single that was followed by a two-run double by Turner Pyles. Nathanael Addison entered the game as the pinch runner for Pyles and scored on a passed ball to give West Lincoln the 7-6 win.

West Lincoln was led at the plate by Sills with a triple and single. Kylar Fielder had two singles. Griffin hit a triple, Pyles a double and Spears, Thompson, Nations and Seth Bivens all hit safely.

Spears recorded the win for the Bears allowing six runs over seven innings. He struck out seven, walked three and gave up nine hits.

Christopher Scott took the loss for Natchez. He allowed seven runs in seven innings, walked nine and struck out seven.

Natchez 6, West Lincoln 5 

West Lincoln’s bats were hot starting the second game of the night as Austin Burris, Kylar Fielder and Seth Bivens went 3-for-3 at the plate.

The Bears scored early in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. Natchez answered in the second to tie the game.

West Lincoln collected two more runs in the fourth inning when Gabe Nations drew a walk and Austin Burris hit a triple to go up 4-2. The Bulldogs answered with one run to cut the lead to 4-3.

The Bears added another run in the fifth inning after a double by Bivens and triple by Sills. Natchez plated two runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score at five. West Lincoln went scoreless in the sixth, and Natchez was able to plate the final run of the night.

Melton got the win for Natchez. He allowed three runs over seven innings. He struck out nine, walked three and surrendered 11 hits.