[7/13/03]Howard Johnson had quite a busy day at the Bazinsky Park fields on Saturday.

Not only did Johnson coach the Vicksburg Diamond Dolls to an opening-round victory in the under-16 bracket at the first Rumble on the River softball tournament, but he also presented the championship trophy to the Vicksburg Sluggers after they swept through the under-12 bracket.

The Sluggers defeated the Cleveland All-Stars in the title game 9-2.

Earlier in the day the Sluggers shut out Cleveland behind a strong pitching performance by Andi Hearn, and also knocked off Mississippi Edge.

In the final, Vicksburg’s Sarah Franco pitched a no-hitter into the fifth inning and struck out 13.

Sluggers coach Tony Franco said his pitchers made the difference during the tournament. He also gave credit to his offense, which broke the game wide open in the top of the fifth, scoring seven runs.

“It goes in spurts,” Franco said. “We had a real good spurt. That’s what it takes.”

The Sluggers put together seven hits in the fifth inning. The All-Stars rallied with their first hit of the game in the bottom half but could only make up two runs of the deficit.

“It feels good,” Franco said. “It was real special.”

Earlier in the day Johnson’s Diamond Dolls of stayed in the winners’ bracket with a win over the Lady 76ers, 10-0.

Much like the Sluggers’ win, this game featured scoring spurts and a dominating pitching performance.

Danielle Ryan pitched three innings, struck out eight and allowed only a single baserunner on a first-inning walk.

“She’s done well for us all year,” Johnson said. “She’s good to strikeout eight or 10 a ballgame.”

Despite the Diamond Dolls being an under-14 team competing in an under-16 age bracket, they had little trouble dispatching their opponent.

“We never had seen them,” Ryan said. “We thought they’d be good.”

Though they didn’t really need it, the Diamond Dolls got a big outing from their offense.

The Dolls scored three runs in the first on four hits and a couple of walks, but left the bases loaded to end the inning.

Vicksburg added two runs to its lead in the third, as catcher Mary Franco hit an RBI double and later scored after a bunt and an error.

The Dolls solidified their lead with an offensive explosion in the top half of the fourth, scoring five runs on four hits and three walks.

“We’ve got a good hitting team,” Johnson said.

Warren Central standout Lauren Anderson, a new addition to the team, pitched a perfect fourth to preserve the win for the Dolls.

Johnson said the team enjoyed the success but wasn’t going to get cocky.

“I don’t expect us to walk through,” he said. “But, it’s a good group of girls.”

The Diamond Dolls will play the Dixie Diamonds today at 11 a.m. at Bazinsky. The Dixie Diamonds defeated another Vicksburg team, the Explosion, on Saturday 2-0 in a low-scoring affair.

The Explosion, Vicksburg’s under-16 team, dropped into the losers’ bracket and will face the winner of the Rebels and 76ers game, which is today at 8 a.m.

In the under-10 bracket, the Vicksburg All-Stars lost their first-round game to Madison Motion, and will face the Rockers at 9 a.m. at Bazinsky west field in the losers’ bracket.