[07/17/02]The Vicksburg Critters delivered the usual pounding to their opponent on Tuesday. They just went about it a little differently.

Afer leaving five runners on base in the first three innings, the Critters used three bunts including a pair of squeezes with the No. 3 and 4 hitters to trigger a four-run fourth inning and went on to beat the Wichita (Kan.) Cardinals 10-2 at the 13-year-olds’ Super Series of America Baseball National Championship tournament in Tulsa, Okla.

The Critters, who have allowed only five runs in four games at the tournament, were to play the Collierville (Tenn.) Rebels this morning in a winner’s bracket game.

“Overall, we’ve played real good. I’m tickled with the way we’re playing,” Critters coach Bubba Mims said, adding with a laugh, “Everybody knows what a Critter is now.”

Cole Smith and Michael Busby each had two hits, including a double, and two RBIs for the Critters. Kyle Calhoun and Judd Mims had three hits apiece, and Mims added a pair of RBIs with a sixth-inning single.

Tyler Wells got the win for Vicksburg, and Calhoun finished up for a save.

Spencer “Moose” Carney, the Critters’ cleanup hitter, drove in two runs. One came on a squeeze bunt in the fourth inning. Carney hit a long home run in a win on Sunday, and Mims said the bunt caught Wichita by surprise.

“We shocked the world when we bunted with Moose,” Mims said.