If the host Greenville team wants to keep playing in the Dixie Youth Majors State Tournament, it will have fight its way out of the loser’s bracket starting on Sunday.

Greenville fell to Hokes Bluff 8-2 on Saturday night and will play the loser of the Crenshaw County-Alexandria game at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

Alexandria was beating Crenshaw County 9-3 in the fifth inning as the first day of tournament action was coming to a close.

Hokes Bluff scored one run in the first inning after Kaden Moore reached on a single, then added six runs in second. Greenville starting pitcher Austin Vickery got in trouble early in the inning, walking six batters before giving way to Kyler Weeks.

Greenville found some offense in its half of the inning as Kenny Harden had an RBI single and Jeffery Tillery scored after reaching on balls. Jaquaun Lewis also added a double.

Hokes Bluff plays the winner of the Alexandria-Crenshaw County game at 5 p.m. Sunday.

Tournament officials were forced to cancel the scheduled home run derby on Friday night because of the threat of rain, but Saturday’s games were free of weather concerns – other than the heat. Tents covered many of the bleachers and fans clipped portable fans to chain link fences, which provided some small relief from Saturday’s high temperatures for those who had them.

Bellengrath 9, Ashford 8

Relief pitcher Nollie Long struck out a batter with the tying run on third base as Bellengrath beat Ashford 9-8.

Bellengrath advances to face Opelika on Sunday at 7 p.m.

Long had two singles in the game as well, while LaKeldrick Gardner added a two RBI double. Chris Cofield hit a single.

Ashford was led at the plate by JoJo Seal’s two run homer and base hit. Payton Crooms, Keith Johnson and Justin Herring also hit singles.

Ashford plays Thomasville at 4:30 p.m.

Monroe County 9, Elba 4

Jacob Johnson retired 12 batters on strikes and allowed just four hits for Monroe County, which beat Elba 9-4.

Johnson also hit two singles. Trey Carter knocked in two runs with a single. Dallas Nichols had an RBI double, Cameron McGhee had an RBI single, and Dent Stallworth added two base hits also.

Monroe County plays Smiths Station at 6:30 p.m.

Elba plays South Bibb at 3 p.m.

Smiths Station 10, South Bibb 0

Anthony Ward had a grand slam in the second inning as Smiths Station won 10-0 in four innings over South Bibb.

Dalton Sinquefield added a two-run shot in the third and John Dunnivan hit a ground-rule double that scored a pair of runs also in the third for Smiths Station.

Smiths Station plays Monroe County at 6:30 p.m.

Opelika 8, Thomasville 0

Chris Manley hit a pair of home runs and Ryan Carlisle had a three-RBI homer as Opelika beat Thomasville 8-0 in the first game of the Dixie Youth Majors State Tournament.

Tanner Blatt, Aly Smith, and Gage Young combined on the mound to hold Thomasville to only two hits in the game.

Vaughter Garner also added a home run for Opelika. Blatt had two singles and a double. Jackson Grigsby had a single.

Seth Downey and Tristan Sims had singles for Thomasville.

Opelika plays Bellingrath Sunday at 7 p.m.