Cole Smith of Culkin is congratulated by coach Bubba Mims (2) after scoring the winning run in the Critters’ 7-6 Dizzy Dean World Series win over Grenada. Below, assistant coach Chris Busby gives the Critters a pep talk before the game Sunday. (The Vicksburg Post/SEAN P. MURPHY)

[07/23/01] OAK GROVE The Culkin Critters used the long-ball to win their opening game in the Dizzy Dean World Series Saturday night.

On Sunday, it was the short game that propelled the 12-year-olds further into the winners’ bracket.

Cole Smith led off the top of the sixth inning with a bunt single, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on Kyle Calhoun’s single to lift the Critters to a 7-6 win over Grenada, a team Culkin beat 14-4 in the state championship game.

The Critters are scheduled to play Center Point, Ala., Monday at 8 p.m.

“We talked about it before the inning and (coach) Bubba (Mims) said go for it,” assistant coach Chris Busby said of the bunt. “We knew if Cole bunted like he could, they wouldn’t throw him out. It was a perfect bunt.”

Once on first, Smith wasted little time. He stole second on the first pitch, then moved to third on the next pitch setting up Calhoun for the game-winner against hard-throwing Timothy McKinney.

“I was just looking for a high fastball and that’s what I got,” Calhoun said. “I just thought, I gotta do what I gotta do.’ ”

Michael Busby, who allowed a two-run, game-tying home run in the fifth, allowed just a single but fanned two in the bottom of the sixth to secure the win.

“I just had to throw strikes and not let them get a hit,” said Busby, whose game-winning home run on Saturday gave the Critters a win over Pace, Fla.

Calhoun led the Critters’ eight-hit attack with a pair of singles and two RBIs. Tyler Bounds had an RBI single and Cody Ferguson had two hits and an RBI.

Culkin also took advantage of four Grenada errors, which led directly to a four-run fourth inning.

“Mistakes, mistakes, mistakes; that’s what did us in,” Grenada coach James Berry said. “You can’t play ball like that and expect to win.”

McKinney led Grenada with a two-run home run, while Oliver Hughes had a two-RBI single and Sykes hit a two-run blast over center field.

McKinney’s shot gave the hosts an early 2-0 lead, but RBI singles by Bounds and Ferguson in the top of the second tied the game at 2.

Two-out RBI singles in the top of the fourth by Calhoun and Busby, coupled with three errors and a Judd Mims single gave the Critters a 6-2 lead. All four runs came off of McKinney, Grenada’s ace who came in in the fourth inning.

Grenada again responded with two outs in the bottom of the inning on Hughes’ two-RBI single off Busby, who relieved Eric Richards with the bases loaded.

After Sykes’ fifth-inning home run, Busby struck out four of the next six batters to end the game.

“Michael knew he had a job to do and he did it,” Chris Busby said.