[07/21/02]A pair of big innings led to a couple of tough losses and a trip home for the Vicksburg Critters Saturday at the 13-year-olds’ Super Series of America Baseball National Championships in Tulsa, Okla.

The Southeast Missouri Bandits scored five runs in the fifth inning and went on to beat the Critters 14-8. Then, facing elimination in a game later Saturday, the Colorado Thunder scored six runs in the fifth to blow open a close game and eliminate the Critters 7-4.

The Critters finished third in the 64-team tournament, posting a 7-2 record.

Tyler Wells went 3-for-3 with a homer, triple and three RBIs for Vicksburg in the first game, but the Critters left the bases loaded in the fourth and Southeast Missouri rallied in the fifth to go ahead for good.

Michael Busby and Spencer Carney each had two hits for Vicksburg.

Against Colorado, a team from Denver, the Critters took a 2-1 lead in the second on a homer by Cole Smith, but the Thunder rallied to blow it open in the fifth.

Raptors 9, Walthall Co. 2

The Vicksburg Raptors continued their surprising run at the 15-year-olds’ Babe Ruth state tournament by beating Walthall County.

With the win, the Raptors advanced to today’s third-place game against Helena at 1 p.m. in Corinth. The winner of that game will face Columbus at 3 p.m., and must beat Columbus twice to win the tournament.

Against Walthall, John Howard allowed one run and two hits in six innings of relief to get the win.

Heath Daigre backed him with a double, and Jordan Henry drove in three runs. James Jackson also had a hit and an RBI, and Trey Ettinger had a hit and two RBIs.