Selma Dixie Boys manager Troy Anderson has seen the same thing happen to his team this year. That led to the District 4 championship.

Now he hopes Friday’s 3-0 loss to Westside of Mobile will become a catalyst toward the Alabama championship as his team goes against North Sand Mountain at 5:30 p.m. today in the road through the losers’ bracket.

“That game was a microcosm of the 2-1 loss to Millbrook,” said Anderson, looking back at the team’s first loss in the District 4 tournament at Selma. “We couldn’t get the hits we needed then either.”

Selma managed only three hits in the seven-inning game.

“We were just flat,” Anderson said. “But we came back on the last day of the District 4 tournament and beat Millbrook 16-6 and 20-6 for the title. So I think we’ll get our hitting back around.”

Austin Anderson was tagged with the loss, giving up the three runs (one earned) on five hits with five strikeouts and one walk.

His trouble came in the fourth inning when Westside strung together three consecutive one-out singles with a Selma throwing error for two runs. A potential Westside run was cut down at the plate when Selma rightfielder Devonta Cleveland threw out Westside’s Britt Glover, who tried to score on a sacrifice fly.

The other Westside run came in the fifth inning when Westside’s Brandon Jordan singled, reached second base on a passed ball, went to third base on a fielder’s choice, then scored when Mason McCullough singled.

“I thought Austin did when we needed him to do on the mound,” Anderson said. “I’ve never lost a game 0-0.”

With one hit apiece for Selma were Cleveland, Eddie Thigpen and Dylan Lawrence.

If Selma loses today’s game, they will be eliminated. A victory would put Selma in a 5:30 p.m. game Sunday. The tournament is scheduled to end Tuesday.