Staff photo by Mike Buhler South Pemiscot's Chris Medlin (22) slides home safe on a squeeze bunt as Kennett catcher Billy Fender signals to first base to make the putout on the batter during the sixth inning of Thursday's Bootheel Conference Tournament championship game at Indian Field in Hayti. [Click to enlarge]

HAYTI, Mo. -- Errors. Walks. Hit batsmen. Missed opportunities. All of them combined to doom the Kennett Indians' chances of winning the Bootheel Conference Tournament.

The Tribe issued five walks, hit four batters and made a pair of costly sixth-inning errors as it fell 5-3 to the South Pemiscot Bulldogs in the tournament championship game here Thursday at Indian Field.

Thursday's contest arguably turned on one play. After Cameron Links was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning, Chris Medlin laid down a bunt that was misplayed. On the same play, an attempt to throw out Links at third base was wild, allowing Links to score the go-ahead run.

Staff photo by Mike Buhler Kennett's Trey Bazzell delivers a pitch against South Pemiscot during Thursday's Bootheel Conference Tournament championship game at Indian Field in Hayti. [Click to enlarge]

"That's the way baseball is," Kennett coach Aaron New said. "If you don't execute fundamental plays, a good ballclub like South Pemiscot will take advantage of it and beat you. That's what happened today."

Medlin later scored on a squeeze bunt to add an insurance run and cap the rally.

The Tribe (9-6) was also plagued by control problems Thursday, as five walks and four hit batsmen led to four of South Pem's runs.

"You just can't do that against a quality ballclub," said New. "Teams like South Pemiscot will take advantage of it every time. That's what they did today."

Meanwhile, Kennett struggled to manufacture runs in the late innings, having one rally ended with a runner caught stealing and another ended by a double play.

"We've got some guys that are going to have to pick up their games a little bit," New said. "They weren't able to do it today it hurt us in the late innings."

The Indians snapped a 1-1 tie in the top of the fourth inning when pitcher Trey Bazzell doubled home Andrew Hooper with two out, then Andy Lack singled in courtesy runner Patrick Ratliff for a 3-1 lead.

However, South Pem answered back in the bottom of the fourth, as Ian Mikels doubled home Links and Colton Carter to tie the game and set the stage for the decisive sixth inning.

Corey Henfling took the loss in relief of Bazzell, allowing two runs -- both unearned -- and one hit while striking out three and walking one.

Kaleb Canoy earned the win for the Bulldogs, going the distance while allowing just six hits while striking out four and walking no one.

The Indians jump from one tournament into another, heading to Jackson to open the SEMO Conference Tournament today at 4 p.m.