An ejection in the first inning haunted the River City Rage throughout their opening pool play game in the Governor’s Cup 9-year-olds’ tournament Friday at Halls Ferry Park with an 8-5 loss to Forest Hill.

The Rage’s Tyler White was caught in a rundown after getting caught off third base. As he went toward home plate, White stayed upright and had his arm raised as the relay throw came in high to Forest Hill catcher Caleb Gill. The umpire immediately tossed White.

“He didn’t slide, but he was a good six or seven feet from the plate,” Rage coach Paul Elwart argued. “With him ejected, we had to take an out every time he came up in his spot. It took us out of some things in the later innings.” The Rage will try again today at 12:30 p.m. against the Madison Missions.

“They (Forest Hill) are not as good as we are. We’ve played both of the other Vicksburg teams in this tournament and we’ve beaten both,” Elwart said. “We won a tournament in Pearl and we finished third in the USSSA State Tournament.”

The Rage had a 2-0 lead after runs were scored by Austin Willis and Bradley McMillan in the first, but the ejection of White cost the team its clean-up hitter.

It affected potential Rage rallies in the fourth and fifth innings. Down 5-3 in the fourth, McMillan drew a leadoff walk. After White’s spot was declared an out, Booth Buys doubled to left. McMillan scored on a single by Chandler Luke while Buys tied the game at 5 when Matthew Newcomb was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Forest Hill broke the tie with two runs in the bottom of the fourth on a double by Caleb Pace and a throwing error.

In the top of the fifth, the absence of White caught with the Rage again. With two out, Willis drew a walk, bringing up McMillan. All Lea, the Forest Hill pitcher, had to do was walk McMillan and the inning was over because White’s spot would be declared the third out.

On a 3-1 pitch, Lea threw high and McMillan drew his walk, It was the third time he had reached base and he led the Rage with two runs scored.

Down 8-5 in the sixth, Buys singled for his second hit but was left on base as Lea retired the final three batters to end the game. Forest Hill finished with 12 hits. Lea, Jimmy Burse, Tanner Hutchins and Brett Skinner had two apiece.

Madison 9, V’Burg Storm 5

Braves pitchers Myrick Welch and Alex Holliman combined for nine strikeouts to lead the Madison team past the Storm in 9-year-olds’ pool play action Friday night.

The Storm scored all of their runs in the second inning to take a 5-2 lead but the Braves came back to it tie at 5 with two in the third and one in the fourth. They scored four in the fifth to break the tie. An RBI double by Blake Valentine was the key blow. Valentine finished with two runs scored.

Garret Breithaupt and Garrett Hutchins scored for the Storm, who play the Madison Missions today at 9 a.m.