Halfway through pool play, the 15U Selma all-stars are 2-0 after Friday’s 12-2 victory over Bartow, Florida in the Dixie Baseball World Series in Independence, Louisiana.

In both of the games they have played so far, the team has been able to put away their opponent without having to complete all seven innings.

“The level of play keeps getting harder,” Waters said. “We faced a little tougher pitching today, but we continue to hit the baseball.”

According to head coach Ricky Waters, Amarian Molette and Dion Allen made great defensive catches in the fifth inning to prevent the Bartow baserunners from scoring and extending the game.

The tournament mercy rule ends the game if a team is up by at least 10 runs after the fifth inning. Had those runners scored, anything could’ve happened in the sixth or seventh innings to possibly change the outcome.

“We ended the game when Amarian made an outstanding catch in the outfield and relaying the ball into third base to turn a double play,” Waters said.

Octavious Palmer was the starting pitcher for Selma and earned the win. Molette and Joseph Estes combined to allow only one run in relief.

So far, the team has scored 31 runs and has only allowed three from opposing teams.

“It was an outstanding effort by the whole team,” he said. “Each guy has their moments of great plays and we just continue to play good team baseball.”

Saturday will be the last day of pool play before the single elimination rounds begins. Selma plays against Gaston, South Carolina, in the morning at 10 a.m., and then they face Marshall, Texas, at 2 p.m.

Gaston is 0-2 so far in pool play. They lost to Marshall 6-4 on Thursday, and on Friday they were defeated by Bartow 16-0.

Marshall, however, is 2-0 after their Friday 7-2 victory over NOLA, Louisiana.

Only the winner of Pool C will advance to the semi-finals on Sunday. Selma needs to remain undefeated to guarantee a spot in the elimination rounds.