The Troy Dixie Minors jumped ahead early, and held on late en route to a 9-5 win over Thomasville in the second round of the Alabama AA State Tournament in Oxford Tuesday afternoon.

Troy scored four runs in the second inning, two in the third and tacked on three insurance runs in the fifth. Thomasville picked up a pair of runs in the third, and scratched out three in the sixth, before Troy ended the late rally and the ball game.

Troy’s Walker Stallworth went the distance on the hill, and got the win. Stallworth threw first-pitch strikes to 18 of the 31 batters he faced.

“Walker had a really good night all the way around,” said David Nelson, Troy head coach. “He had a nice little cushion to work with throughout the game, and he used it to his advantage. He had great control on nearly every pitch, and threw the ball great.”

With the win, Troy moves to 2-0 in the tournament and earns a bye through the night action on Tuesday.

No matter the outcome of Troy’s 2 p.m. game versus Gordo on Tuesday, it will not be forced to play a second game. Nelson feels that will be an advantage later in the tournament.

“It is huge to get off to a good start in tournament,” Nelson said. “We only play one game on Tuesday, no matter what happens. Some teams will have to play two tomorrow (Tuesday) and then do the same on Wednesday. We won’t have to do that.”

Troy plays Gordo Tuesday at 2 p.m. in Oxford.