Two middle inning runs proved to be all Troy National needed to claim the Dixie Minor Sub-District championship in Georgiana on Thursday afternoon.

Greenville took a 1-0 lead in the first but was held scoreless the rest of the way thanks to a masterful effort by Troy pitcher Will Starling. Starling walked two batters and allowed two infield singles in the first inning, but settled to down to pitch five straight innings of shutout baseball, which included 13 strike outs. He allowed only three hits total in the game.

With Starling working on the mound, Troy found its bats in the third inning. Nathan Barron led off with a single to left field, but was forced out at second on a ground ball hit by Gerard Pollard. Pollard moved to second on a wild pitch then Lloyd Shillabeer sent a two-out single into left field to score Pollard and tie the ball game.

Troy’s Daniel Floyd started off with a single into centerfield and took second base on a miscue by the Greenville outfielder. Floyd then advanced to third on a wild pitch.

Chase Connell stepped up to bat for Troy and with two outs bounced a slow roller down the third baseline. Floyd scored the winning run as the Greenville third baseman hurried the throw to first base, in hopes of catching Connell.

Starling struck out four of the next six batters he faced and threw out the other two at first, recording six straight outs and sending Troy to the district competition in Dothan.

The Troy National team finished sub-district play with a perfect 5-0 record.

Starling had a double at the plate for Troy. Floyd, Shillabeer, Barron and Connell each contributed singles in the contest.

Troy Americans fall: Troy’s Dixie Minor American team lost to the Enterprise Nationals 6-5 in the sub-district finals on Friday night. No other details were available at press time.