Southern Rebels’ Caleb Franks scores the game-winning run as Franklin County’s Cable McMinn applies the tag in the bottom of the seventh inning Sunday. The Rebels, a Louisiana-based team with four Warren County players, won the 14-year-olds’ division of the Governor’s Cup. (Sam FreemanThe Vicksburg Post)

[7/26/04]Moments after the Southern Rebels ran themselves out of a potential game-winning situation, Delmon Robinson allowed them to walk off with a Governor’s Cup championship.

Robinson, a freshman at Vicksburg High, delivered a walk-off RBI double in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Rebels a 5-4 win over Franklin County and the 14-year-olds’ Governor’s Cup title Sunday at Halls Ferry Park.

“Yes. I was excited about that. I liked that,” Robinson, who went 1-for-4, said of his reaction when he saw the ball drop in. “I had a bad game, but I came up with the big hit.”

Franklin County took a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Cody Ratcliff, but failed to get any more runs after putting runners on second and third with no outs.

Then, in the bottom of the inning, the Rebels squandered their own chance.

Warren Central’s Chris Whittington singled with one out, and Jo Jo Smith hit a double to put runners on second and third. Storm Ridgeway followed with a grounder back to the mound. As Franklin pitcher Blaine Abernathy looked Whittington back to third, Smith was charging hard toward third himself.

The baserunning blunder forced Whittington to break for home, and he was tagged out after a brief rundown. Smith was also caught in a rundown, but managed to escape and reach third.

Matt Cranfield followed with another grounder to the mound, and the threat was over.

“We weren’t down, but we were anxious to hit again,” Robinson said.

Franklin went quietly in the top of the seventh, and the Rebels quickly mounted a rally in the bottom of the inning.

Vicksburg resident Heath Carroll led off with a single, stole second and was bunted over to third. With one out, Caleb Franks hit a grounder to first that was fielded cleanly by Franklin’s Ratcliff. Rather than conceding the tying run and getting the sure out at first, Ratcliff came home with the ball. His throw was late, and Carroll scored to tie it at 4.

Franks stole second to move into scoring position, and Robinson drove a ball to deep right field. It went over the head of Franklin outfielder Jacob Dunn, and Franks stepped on home plate with the winning run as the throw arrived at the plate.

“I was going back (to second). I thought he caught it,” said Franks, who drove in two runs with an RBI single and a fielder’s choice. “I didn’t know where the outfielder was. Then I saw him running back and I took off.”

7-8-year-olds

Calhoun Little Outlaws 7, East Miss. Sluggers 6 – Dalton Alford hit a two-run homer, and Dustin Mitchell was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored as Calhoun held off a late rally to beat East Mississippi for the 7-8-year-olds’ championship.

9-10-year-olds

Carrollton 19, Clinton All-Stars 4 – Liam O’Neal homered during a nine-run second inning to lift Carrollton past Clinton in the 9-10-year-olds’ championship game.

11-year-olds

Madison 8, Carrollton 5 – Patrick Barnes’ grand slam in the top of the fifth gave Madison a victory in the weather-shortened 11-year-olds’ championship game.

The game was halted because of lightning with Madison batting in the top of the sixth, and called after a 30-minute delay.