COLLINSVILLE — Two-out hitting is key to winning baseball games.

West Lauderdale scored all their runs with two outs as the Knights held on to beat Newton County 7-3 at Jerry Boatner Field on Friday to claim the Region 4-4A championship.

West Lauderdale (17-3) will face Amory in the First Round of the MHSAA Class 4A baseball playoffs that begin next weekend, while Newton County (11-13) will battle Ripley, who eliminated the Cougars in the playoffs last season.

“Both Carter Horton and Cooper Rainer had two big hits with runners in scoring position, and we needed them,” said West Lauderdale coach Jason Smith. “Defensively we didn’t play well, but it was a competitive game and a type of game we’re going to see in the playoffs.”

Carter Horton delivered a two-run single to right to give West Lauderdale a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.

Newton County cut the lead down to 2-1 in the third on an RBI infield single by Camden Thoms.

Horton hit an RBI single in the bottom half to extend the Knights’ lead to 3-1.

Cooper Rainer stretched the West Lauderdale lead to 4-1 in the fourth on an RBI single.

The Cougars cut the Knights lead down to one run at 4-3 in the fifth on as they scored two runs off a fielding error.

The sixth inning ended up being the difference as West Lauderdale plated three runs on a RBI single by Rainer and a two-run single by Hunter Russell to extend their lead out to 7-3.

Jacob Wooten had three hits and Horton had two hits with three runs batted in to lead West Lauderdale.

“Just going up to the plate and thinking of a right field approach and just do whatever I can to get runners in,” Horton said. “Two-out hitting has been a big key for us this season and getting hits we need at the right time. It’s big getting the district championship and getting home field advantage is great.”

Ridge Brown (8-1) got the win on the mound for West Lauderdale lasting three-and-a-third innings scattering three hits, one unearned run, two walks and seven strikeouts.

“Getting district championship is huge for us because of home field advantage and proud of the players for that accomplishment. If we keep winning in the playoffs, we will be hosting,” Smith said. “In the playoffs it comes down to not making errors, not walking batters, making routine plays, getting key hits and catching a couple breaks and we’re hoping we can do that moving on.”

Thoms had two hits to lead Newton County. Lander Huber (2-1) took the loss on the mound for Newton County.

“I was very proud of the response from Tuesday night. Tuesday night was frustrating and not who we were, so to come into a difficult place to play and responded well,” said Newton County coach Jordan Smith. “We had opportunity after opportunity and needed one or two timely hits that would’ve changed the game. Our mentality is everybody is 0-0 and Ripley is a great program and got a lot of respect for them. Our guys are eager for the challenge after last year and I think it will be fun series.”