Marshall County took all the momentum and plenty of confidence into the winner take all 8U Cal Ripken District all-star championship game at the Richard Cashion Sports Complex in Lewisburg Monday night.

The Marshall County upstarts fought its way back from the loser’s bracket, which included a 15-0 walloping of Giles County less than an hour earlier

The win set up a rematch between two longtime foes for the district championship.

This game turned out to be the exact opposite of the opener as Giles County sprung first with a 3-0 lead that lasted into the fourth inning before Marshall County battled back to take a 7-4 lead into the final inning.

A series of fielding errors allowed Giles County to mount a sixth inning comeback and ultimately take home the championship 9-7.

Giles County set the tone in the first inning with a Hudson Griggs single before a Cason Howard base knock put runners on the corners.

Unlike the first contest, Giles County was able to make good on some early offense as Jack Jackson brought home Griggs and Xavier Randolph brought home Howard on a single to jump out to a 2-0 lead.

Kase Pugh delivered the final blow of the inning with an extra base hit to bring home Jackson and push the lead to 3-0.

The two squads tightened up on defense as neither team crossed the plate again until Marshall County rallied in the fourth inning.

Jack Carlisle started off the inning with a single before Colyn Schillig laid down a beautiful sacrifice bunt to send Carlisle to second.

Braylon Sampson gave Marshall County some much needed runs with a two-run RBI single into right field to cut the gap to 3-2.

Ben Randles finally gave Marshall County the lead with a triple down the right field line to score two runs to push the score to 4-3.

Ethan Harris added to the total with a single into left field to bring home Hightower for a 5-3 edge.

Marshall County added to its total in the fifth inning when Carson Henderson and Schillig delivered a pair of two-out singles before Swaggerty seemingly put the game away with a bomb down to the left field fence to bring home both base runners and up the lead to 7-3.

Unfortunately, Giles had some fight left in its reserves, cutting the lead down to 7-4 on a single into center field with two outs in the inning.

With just one out needed to end the ballgame and seal the championship, Marshall committed three straight infield errors, leading to four unearned runs and what looked like a sure Marshall County victory heading into the final frame ended in a 9-7 Giles County win.

Fortunately for Marshall County, both teams do advance to the 8U state tournament with the possibility of yet another rematch.