They didn't throw their gloves in the air and pile on each other when the final out was recorded. Besides the Gatorade shower that doused coach Greg Carroll's pants, the Troy Nationals celebrated their 6-5 Sub-District championship game victory over Enterprise American with high-fives and smiles.

This was the next step in their postseason - they didn't plan on it being their last.

'I'm proud of them,&uot; Carroll said after the Nationals took an early lead, never trailed but hung on against Enterprise.

The Nationals beat Enterprise twice in three meetings in the Sub-District tournament. Both team advance to the District Tournament in Greenville this week.

&uot;We really had to battle,&uot; Carroll said. &uot;Enterprise is a very good team. It wouldn't surprise me to see them again somewhere down the line. We just got one more run than they did.&uot;

The Nationals got key hits when they needed them, Carroll said.

&uot;That made the difference,&uot; he said. &uot;All the way through our lineup, we got big hits at key times. The bottom of our order helped just as much as the top.&uot;

Layton Grant's two-out single in the bottom of the first scored Sam Carroll with the game's first run.

Enterprise tied the game in the top of the second when Hal Davis drove in Jacob Malkof.

Shane Snider, Tyler Dansby and Josh Davenport - the 10th, 11th and 12th hitters in the Nationals' 13-man lineup - all reached base in the second inning. Tre Bryant scored a run for the Nationals that put them in front 2-1.

Troy threatened to make it a runaway in the third. Evan Strother, Jayden Barnes and Sam Carroll all scored runs and Grant got another run-scoring hit for the Nationals.

Trailing 5-1 after three, Enterprise stormed back into the game. Hunter Hudson, Malkof and Levi Tate scored to make it 5-4. Davis and Lance McMahon added key hits in the inning for Enterprise.

Deion Nickson scored a big run for Troy in the fourth inning. Again, Snider, Davenport and Walter Barber reached base to bring him around for a 6-4 lead.

Winning pitcher Harrison Reeves pitched very well and lasted into the sixth inning for the victory. He was relieved by Sam Carroll with no outs and runners on first and third. Hunter Hudson was thrown out stealing at second base, although Dustin Wallace, the runner on third, scored on the play.

That cleared the bases with one out, but the game was 6-5. Carroll struck out the next two batters to end the game.

TROY AMERICANS ALSO ADVANCE

Troy will be well represented in the District Tournament at Greenville, which begins Tuesday night.

The Troy Americans Dixie Youth team finished second in the Sub-District at Highland Home, which qualifies them for the District.

The Americans beat Brantley twice in the tournament, but lost once to Highland Home and lost, 5-2 to Luverne in the championship game.

Blake Hutchinson was superb on the mound for the Americans in the title game.

He pitched a three-hitter, struck out 10 batters and walked just two. Troy outhit Luverne 6-3 - but committed six errors in the loss.

Highland Home, which didn't qualify for the District, was the unlucky loser of the five-team Sub-District, twice losing 1-0 heartbreakers to Luverne.

Both Troy Dixie Youth teams will be playing in the District Tournament on Tuesday night. The Troy Americans play at 6 p.m. against Hartford.

The Troy Nationals play at 8 p.m. against Slocomb.