COLLINSVILLE — The West Lauderdale Knights played host to division rival Newton County Thursday in the final Region 5-4A contest of the 2017 season.

While the Knights already had the division wrapped up, bragging rights were still on the line — and it took more than the seven innings allotted for the Knights to squeeze out a 3-2 win in nine frames. 

The Knights set up the win when Braden Luke drew a walk from the Cougars’ Alec Ivey, who pitched into the ninth inning. Tyler Lantz then ripped a single, and Jordan Herrington beat out a bunt single to load the bases with no outs. 

Hayden West relieved Ivey and faced the Knights’ Jeremy Davis, but a passed ball resulted in Luke racing in from third to score the winning run.

West coach Jerry Boatner said he was happy with the win but thought his squad was lethargic at times 

“This was a good game that (Newton County) had to win to make the postseason, and this is a big rivalry, and we’ve had some tough circumstances,” Boatner said. “We didn’t play with much energy, but we found a way to win.”

Newton County sent Ivey and his side arm delivery, and West answered with flame thrower Hunter Eldridge.

West went up 1-0 in the second inning when Eldridge reached on an error. Courtesy runner Austin Davidson, running for Eldridge, stole second and scored on Jordan Herrington’s RBI single. 

The Cougars tied it at one in the fourth inning when Eli Harrison reached on an error, moved around the bases on a Gavin Bailey single and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Hayden West. 

In the fifth inning, John Ross Briggs drove in Davidson, who was running for Kameron Partridge, to give West a 2-1 lead going into the sixth inning. 

Partridge got the call from Boatner in the second inning to replace Eldridge with a runner on first and two outs. Partridge struck out the first Cougar he faced and ended the threat. He gave his team three solid innings and kept West in a position to take the win. Partridge gave up three hits, one unearned run and struck out two. 

The resilient Cougars tied the game in the sixth inning as Bailey turned on a Tyler Lantz curve that landed over the left field wall and knotted the score at 2-2. The score remained 2-2 into the ninth inning until Luke’s score ended the contest. 

Briggs had a double and an RBI for West, Eldridge chipped in with a single and a double, Herrington had an RBI single and Davis added a single. 

The Cougars were led at the plate by Bailey with a single and a solo shot. Hayden West had a sacrifice fly and a RBI, while Kyle Henderson added a single. 

The Knights (21-1) will travel to Enterprise Saturday for a 5 p.m. tilt. The Cougars (13-12) will play Morton Friday.