[08/04/03] The Natchez Mudcats finished their amazing run through the 9-year-olds’ division of the Governor’s Cup with yet another blowout.

Caleb Upton hit a home run, single and had five RBIs to lead the Natchez team to a 13-3 rout of the Vicksburg Angels and completed a weekend where the team outscored its opponents 78-3.

“Their number one-through-nine batters can all hit the baseball,” said Angels coach Calvin Masterson, whose team won its first four games of the Governor’s Cup by a combined 72-8. “We threw our best pitchers out there, but I guess it wasn’t our day.”

Most of the teams the Mudcats faced this weekend had the same feeling.

The Mudcats beat their three pool opponents 24-0, 8-0 and 23-0. The 23-0 win over the Mississippi Mudcats on Saturday night included a 22-run third inning. In Sunday’s first game, the Mudcats beat West Lauderdale, 10-0.

“I thought it would have been closer,” Caleb Upton said. “But I knew we would come out on top.”

Upton got things going early with a three-run bomb off losing pitcher Kawayne Mason in the top of the first inning. The blast capped a four-run first and a quick 4-0 lead.

The Angels, though, came back in the bottom of the first and did something no other team was able to do this series against Natchez: score a run.

Mason’s two-run home run and an RBI double by Josh Eargle pulled the Angels to within one run at the end of the first.

Three walks, a single and a fielder’s choice in the second inning by Natchez chased Mason and led to three more runs for a 7-3 lead.

“That didn’t bother them at all,” said Mudcats coach Jeff Upton, whose team had not given up a run all weekend. “Our guys never got their heads down when they scored.”

The Mudcats ended the game in the fourth with a six-run inning highlighted by a Caleb Upton two-RBI single. Jake Winston and Jake Brumfield also had RBI singles in the inning.

Jake Ward got the win, working the first two innings, allowing three runs on three hits. Winston pitched the final two innings and allowed a fourth-inning single to Clyde Kendrick.

Three fielder’s choices in the fourth inning ended the game by way of the mercy rule.

Anthony Durr hit a double and scored three runs in the win, and Datarius Matthews had a two-RBI single.

“They are very good,” Jeff Upton said of the Angels. “They are a very talented group and can put the bat on the ball. I think it was our day today.”

West Lauderdale 4, Mississippi Mudcats 1

Cale Luke and Cameron Upton each hit a double, and Drew Newquist singled in the Mudcats’ loss. Jacob Taggert scored the lone run in the loss.