The Marshall County 14U all-stars took down Lawrenceburg 11-4 Tuesday night at the Jonathan D. Hollingsworth Memorial Field in Lewisburg, making it two wins in row to rule the winner's bracket of the District 8 Tournament.

Will Johnson picked up the win on the hill for manager Mike Bailey's squad, tossing five solid innings of six-hit ball.

Johnson gave up zero earned runs, while striking out six and walking just one Lawrenceburg batter.

Big hitter

Ben Taylor banged out two hits, including the game changing two-run bases-loaded double as part of Marshall County's huge eight-run third inning.

Johnson was in trouble early, working his way out of a bases-loaded two-out jam in the top of the first inning on a pop-up to shortstop Jay Howard in short left field.

Marshall County managed to get two runners on base in the bottom of the inning with two outs, but the inning ended on a pop-up to Lawrence County second baseman Bryce Davis.

Two errors in the field almost cost the home squad a run in the second, but a great relay throw by right fielder Austin Wood to Taylor at the plate squashed the scoring chance.

In the top of the third, some shoddy fielding by Marshall County did cost them two runs, but they would not trail for long.

Busting it open

Bailey's boys busted the game wide open in the bottom of the frame, sending 13 batters to the plate as they crossed home plate eight times.

Marshall County had just three hits in the inning, but were helped out by four bases on balls, two hit batsmen, a passed ball, and a Lawrenceburg error.

Brayden Gentry and Trent Richardson both tallied an RBI apiece via bases-loaded walks, while Iendi Biggers single that plated two more Marshall All-stars added to Taylor's two-run, tie-breaking double early in the frame.

Johnson set down the purple and yellow clad visitors 1-2-3 in the fourth, but in the top of the fifth, Lawrenceburg notched an unearned run, making it 8-3.

Cementing the lead

Marshall County put the game on ice in the bottom of the fifth, scoring a trio of runs on RBIs by Howard, Gentry, and Taylor.

Wood came to the mound for Johnson in the sixth and allowed one run, but a pair of outfield assists by Howard limited the damage.

Marshall County went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the sixth before Wood closed the door on the win that sent Bailey's boys to the championship round where one more win will punch a ticket to the state tournament, beginning July 19 in Lawrenceburg.

Blake Gladney had a perfect 4-4 night at the plate for Lawrenceburg, who earn an automatic berth to the state by hosting the tourney.