Despite winning the first game of the day 12-11 and forcing the ‘if-necessary’ game, Troy’s Dixie Boys fell to Dothan late Monday night 8-7 ending their season.

Troy gained a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the deciding game. Drew Starling was hit by a pitch with two outs and Ty Witherington’s single advanced him. An error on a Eric Lee ground ball allowed Starling to score.

Dothan answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half to pull ahead. Troy bounced back in the second with four runs.

CJ Thomas singled and Marwuese Christian reached on an error. Jarrell Lawson singled before Keigan Simmons doubled driving in two runs. Starling, the next batter, then singled home two more. Troy led 5-2.

Dothan would explode for six runs in the third and led 8-5 but Troy, again, would not go away.

Starling singled and would later score on a wild pitch.

In the sixth, Starling ripped a solo home run for his third hit of the day to pull Troy to within one, 8-7.

Starling finished 3-for-3.

The host team was unable to get anything going in the seventh.

Lawson and Hunter Blackmon were 2-for-4. Eric Lee also had a hit for Troy.

In the first game, Troy built a 12-2 lead before watching Dothan chip away. With one out and clinging to a 12-11 lead, Troy pitcher Keigan Simmons struck out two consecutive batters with the tying run standing on third to preserve the victory.

For Troy, Drew Starling led the way at the plate going 3-for-5. Marquese Christian was 2-for-4.

Jarrell Lawson, Eric Lee, Coleby Roberts, and CJ Thomas also had a hit each.