Facing a “do or die” situation, the Jackson Parish 7U All Star team scored seven runs in the bottom of the first inning to pave the way to an 11-7 victory over Sabine Parish and stay alive in the Dixie Youth District Tournament being played in Jena as eight of the nine batters that went to bat got hits. 

Refusing to see their district tourney experience end in early fashion, JP7U came out swinging as the first five batters reached base via singles by Duke Henderson, Sammy Jones, Cole Burton, and Krewe Blalock that sandwiched a double by Oliver Lee. After an out was made, Jackson Linton, Lex Walsworth and Sawyer Fair continued the onslaught with additional base hits. 

The JP8U lead was upped to 9-2 when Kolton Laffitte, Henderson and Jones all singled in the second inning to score a run and Blalock singled and scored in the third. 

Jackson Parish plated single runs once again in both the fourth and fifth innings when J Johnson singled and scored on a Henderson single, followed by Burton tripling to right to open the bottom of the fifth inning and then circling the bases on the throw in. 

JP7U, coached by Dusty Burton, Chris Lee, Dan Laffitte, and Josh Henderson, will now play Pineville at 5:30 pm on Monday, June 16th, with the winner putting themselves in position to qualify for the state tournament that will be played July 3-6 in Shreveport.