Staff report

The Troy American Legion baseball team may win the regional tournament in Troy a few weeks from now, but it won't win state.

Troy lost 6-2 to Ozark Monday night to get eliminated from the district tournament.

"We didn't do well," head coach Ron Pierce said.

The Troy American Legion baseball team stumbled out of the gate at the district tournament in Ozark, but the team still had a chance to win the title Monday night.

After falling to host team Ozark in the first round 4-1, Troy won the next four games by a combined score of 32-4.

Apparently angered by the first-round loss, Troy came out blazing in the second-round game against Dothan. Troy scored four runs in the first inning en route to a 7-0 win. Chase Kelly hit an RBI triple in the first inning, and Brett Pierce led off with a double.

Troy pounded Northview in the next game 9-1. Troy scored one run in the second, two runs in the third inning before stretching the lead to 8-0 with a five-run fifth. Troy added one more in the sixth to take a 9-0 lead. Northview scored its only run in the seventh inning.

Troy looked like it might be in trouble in game four, but the Trojans ended up with a 12-2 win over Houston. Houston took a 2-0 lead in the first and held that lead until the third inning. Troy scored three runs in the third inning and six more in the fourth to take command. Troy added one more in the fifth and two more in the sixth to put the game away.

Then came the rematch with Ozark. Troy's Pierce led off with a single in the first inning and Tyson Pugh reached on an error by the Ozark third baseman. Both scored and Troy had a 2-0 lead.

Troy stretched that lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning with a one-run effort. Ozark countered with two runs in the sixth inning, but the effort came too late and Troy held on for the win.