Sports Editor

The Troy Nationals eliminated the host-Thomasville team 7-5 on Wednesday night at the Dixie Minor State Tournament.

Troy plays the winner of last night’s McAdory-Oxford game at 6 p.m. tonight.

Nathan Barron pitched four innings to pick up the win for Troy, with Ross Hixon coming in to earn the save. Troy twice battled back to reclaim the lead after Thomasville had gone ahead, scoring three runs in the third and two runs in the fourth as the Nationals were able to stave elimination themselves.

Troy lost 2-1 to Haleyville on Tuesday night.

Troy claimed the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth when Ethan Register drove in Lloyd Shillabeer and Barron with a two-run single into right field. Sam Carroll had a sacrifice fly RBI in the fifth to give Troy an insurance run as Hixon shut Thomasville out in the final two innings of play.

Chase Connell ripped an RBI single to score Daniel Floyd in the first, but Charles Taylor knocked a two-run triple for Thomasville in the second inning to do Troy one better.

Troy responded. Gerard Pollard and Hixon rounded the bases with singles and Will Starling took first on a walk. Sam Carroll drove home Pollard with an RBI single and both Hixon and Starling came home on wild pitches.

Another triple by Thomasville, this one by Josh Jackson, resulted in two more runs coming home in the fourth inning to tie the game. Hunter Mayton’s RBI hit gave Thomasville back the lead before Shillabeer and Barron led-off Troy’s at-bat in the fourth with two straight basehits and Register put Troy on top for good.

Barron allowed five runs on seven hits and struck out three. Hixon gave up one hit, walked three Thomasville batters, and allowed no runs.

Thomasville’s pitching struggled in the late innings, beaming Floyd with a pitch and walking both Hixon and Starling in the fifth to set up Carroll’s outfield hit and RBI.