Everything changed in a split second.

One swing of the bat turned the tide of the game, killed the morale of the Cottonwood dugout and powered the Troy 14u Dixie Boys All-Stars to a wild 16-8 win in the opening round of the District Tournament.

Troy trailed 5-4 entering the fifth inning of Monday’s tourney opener against Cottonwood, but sent 16 men to the plate in the inning to score 10 runs and take control of the game. Cottonwood walked the first four batters of the inning, before Noah Phillips and Tristan Carter ripped back-to-back doubles to take plate three runs and take control of the game.

Spencer Floyd would double in a pair of runs later in the inning to cap off the scoring spree.

“Hitting is contagious,” said Troy coach Blake Turner. “It is exciting and gets the guys pumped up. You start hitting the ball well, and everyone gets in to it. When hits are falling in, everyone gets loose and relaxed. When that happens, more come.”

Cottonwood was unable to answer Troy’s big inning until pushing a lone run across in the top of the final inning.

With the win, Troy moves on in the winners bracket. Troy will meet Dothan in the second round Tuesday night at 8 p.m.

“We just have to keep on playing loose and having fun,” Turner said. “I know I will feel a little better now after getting the first win. If we take care of business and limit mistakes, I don’t see why we can’t keep it going.”