DEFENSE RULES—Ponchatoula’s third baseman Keegan Pecare, left, snags a popup as teammate and pitcher Shelby Payne (6) backs him up in Thursday’s 4-3 Dixie Pre-Majors state title game victory over Franklin in Independence. Photo by Mike Kiral

INDEPENDENCE — Ponchatoula appeared to be going home from the Dixie Pre-Majors State Tournament Tuesday.

Two nights later, the All-Stars are on their way to the Dixie World Series as shortstop Morgan Payne made a diving grab to preserve Ponchatoula's 4-3 victory over Franklin in the state championship game Thursday night.

It was the fourth straight win for Ponchatoula following a loss to Moss Bluff in the second round and sent it to the World Series July 26-31 in Dyersburg, Tenn.

Ponchatoula defeated Bayou Baseball 7-6 earlier Thursday to advance to the finals.

In the finals, Zach Hughes, Adam Walley, Tyler Roberts and Christian Eaton all drew walks for Franklin to start the top of the seventh inning to pull within 4-3. But Payne dove to snare J.T. James' liner to short to preserve the win.

Ponchatoula jumped out to a 3-0 lead with a two-out rally in the bottom of the first. Justin Crowell walked and Ryan Daniels singled before Payne doubled to score both runners, then came home himself on Cody Hampton's RBI single. They made it 4-0 in the second when Joey Mezzic led off the with a walk and scored on Daniels' single.

Franklin got on the board in the third against Ponchatoula starter Shelby Payne. Singles by Christian Eaton and Trent Williams put runners at the corners, and they pulled off a double steal as Eaton scored.

A fielder's choice by Hughes following three walks cut the deficit to 4-2 in the fifth.

Perrin pitched the final two innings for the save.

In the first game, Ralph Green went 3-for-3 with a double and a triple to lead Ponchatoula's 7-6 victory over Bayou Baseball. Ponchatoula took a 7-5 lead in the top of the seventh when Green drew a bases-loaded walk to score Daniels.

That proved to be the deciding run as Bayou rallied in the bottom of the inning. Logan Jones led off the inning with a walk off Morgan Payne. Shelby Payne came in and struck out Dustin McLin before Kade Scivicque reached on an error to put runners at the corners.

Darren McKigney's sacrifice fly made it a one-run game, then Cole McKigney walked. But Payne got Tyler Cotton to pop up to short to preserve the win.

Ponchatoula fell behind in the first inning for the third straight game as Bayou took a 2-0 lead. Ryan Bercegeay walked and came in on a single by Jones, who scored on Darren McKigney's RBI ground out.

Ponchatoula came back with three runs in the top of the third. Green, who went 3-for-3, led off with a single and came in on Damian Bach's triple to right-center. Crowell followed with a double to nearly the same spot to tie the game. Morgan Payne's two-out, bases-loaded walked scored Crowell to make it 3-2.

Green tripled to start the fourth inning and scored on Bach's single. Bercegeay ended the inning with a diving catch of Keegan Pecar's fly ball to center.

Crowell countered in the bottom of the inning, sliding to grab Andrews' fly ball to center, then throwing to first to double up Bercegeay.

Shelby Payne led off the fifth with a home run to left to give Ponchatoula a 5-2 lead. Daniels then walked and came in on Green's double to make it 6-2.

Colby Wilkinson singled to open the bottom of the inning and scored on Jones' triple to left. Morgan Payne stranded Jones by getting McLin and Scivicque to pop up to short.

Bayou pulled to within 6-5 in the sixth after Cotton and Andrews reached on two-out errors. Cotton scored on a throwing error by Payne and Colby Wilkinson singled in Andrews, but Payne got Bercegeay to ground out to first to keep Ponchatoula ahead.

Morgan Payne was the winning pitcher. Crowell doubled twice and Bach went 2-for-4 with a triple. Cole McKigney took the loss for Bayou. Jones was 2-for-3 with a triple while Wilkinson went 2-for-2.

Jones went 2-for-3 and Scivique, Cotton, Andrews and Wilkinson all doubled for Bayou in an 11-0 victory over Ponchatoula Monday.