WESSON – After five hours of pitching, batting, and fielding theState Games District Six Baseball Team that represents SouthwestMississippi was announced at Copiah-Lincoln Community College’sSullivan Field.

The tryouts lasted nearly five hours, as an estimated 50 playerstried out for positions on the team. Coaches Randy Spring ofBrookhaven and Cory Keyes of Lawrence County will direct the team.Play starts Thursday on the campus of Meridian CommunityCollege.

Of the 18 players selected, four Lincoln Countians made the cut.Scotty Smith and Brooks Hall of Brookhaven made the squad aspitcher/infield combos, while Loyd star products Justin Whatley andMatthew Delaughter highlighted the team at shortstop and catcherrespectively.

South State 4A runner-up Lawrence County netted two players onthe district team in pitcher Casey Williams and outfielder MichaelThompson. Wesson pitcher Joseph Langham also made the team.

McComb products Pat Barnes as outfielder/pitcher, Michael Lewis,an outfielder/catcher, Justin Hay, a catcher, and Brandon Erwin, afirst baseman also made the team.

Natchez players making the squad were Adams County ChristianSchool pitchers Douglas Davis and Glenn Williams. Williams willalso help the team as an outfielder, when not pitching.

Natchez Cathedral players making the list were Garrett Jones ashortstop/second baseman, Te’ Riley, a first baseman, and JeremyDavis in the outfield.

Other players making the team, were Columbia standout DonaldCopper Jr., and Bowling Green pitcher Matthew Sessions. Copper willassist the team as a shortstop/second baseman/outfielder.

McComb had the most players selected on the team with four,Natchez Cathedral placed second with three players.

Last year the State Games District Six team went two and out, inthe double-elimination tournament between the eight Mississippidistricts. The Southwest District hasn’t won a game in thetournament since 2000, when they collected the bronze medal afterlosing their opener.