[7/28/03]Moments after their championship hopes were nearly wrecked, Colby Key became a one-man wrecking crew for the Vicksburg Hurricanes.

Key got a bunt single in the fourth inning, then stole second and third before scoring the go-ahead run on a throwing error as the Hurricanes won the 11-year-olds’ Governor’s Cup title 3-1 against the Natchez Braves Sunday afternoon at Halls Ferry Park.

Key also pitched the final three innings, retiring the final seven batters he faced to pick up the win.

“It was fantastic. It’s a great way to end the year,” Hurricanes coach Randy Martin-Nez said. “We played a 2 1/2 hour, eight-inning game in the semifinals and that took a lot out of us. We had to go back to the old school of small ball in the finals because we didn’t have any punch left.”

The Hurricanes advanced to the championship game with a thrilling 13-8, eight-inning win over Carrollton in the semifinals. Natchez also played an extra-inning game in its semifinal, but needed a strange set of circumstances to beat Jones County.

Jones County used a pitcher who was over the tournament’s limit of six innings in consecutive games. Jones County was ahead 10-8 at the time, but had to forfeit.

The grueling games and oppressive heat seemed to take a toll on both teams’ offensive production. They had combined for 86 runs in eight games between them before the final, but Vicksburg held only a 1-0 lead after three innings in the championship game.

Natchez tied the game in the top of the fourth on two-out, RBI single by Caleb Johnson, but Key escaped a bases-loaded jam by picking off two runners.

Then, in the bottom of the inning, he laid down a perfect leadoff bunt to get on base. He stole second, and then third.

On the throw to third, however, the ball went off a fielder’s glove and into left field.

Key hustled home and slid into the plate headfirst to put the Hurricanes ahead 2-1.