After the second inning, Athens Bible School pitcher Brian Houghton didn’t think he’d have to work as hard to secure the Trojans second-straight Limestone County Junior Baseball Tournament Championship.

But after a four-run second inning produced a 6-3 lead, it was up to Houghton to keep it there and secure the championship game win over East Limestone at Salem Park.

“I thought we’d score more,” said Houghton, who shut out the Indians on three hits over the final five innings of the contest.

“I was just glad I didn’t give up any. I got tired at the end, but I was more relaxed with the lead.”

Houghton walked two and struck out four in earning the complete-game victory.

He also led the Trojans with three hits, including a double, and drove in two runs. Jordan Pugh added two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs as well.

Jonathan Winland also had two RBIs with a first-inning ground out and a second-inning single.

The Trojans cranked it up in the second inning, scoring four runs on six hits including back-to-back doubles by Pugh and Houghton.

Pugh’s double scored Logan McWhirter and Jesse Gibson, who had started the inning with singles, and put ABS in front 4-3.

Houghton’s double scored Pugh with the Trojans’ fifth run.

Isaac Eaton walked, and back-to-back singles by Will Chumbley and Winland made it 6-3.

“He had started Jordan with an inside fastball, and he jumped on it,” Houghton said. “I just wanted to do the same thing.”

Blake Bevins relieved East Limestone starting pitcher Patrick Meadows following Winland’s single. Bevins walked Matt White to load the bases, then got the last two outs to end the inning.

He pitched 4 2/3 inning, shutting out the Trojans on just two hits. Bevins retired the last seven ABS hitters and nine of the last 10.

“We just had to hang on,” ABS head coach Bob Houghton said. “We stranded a bunch of runners.”

Indians’ head coach Bill Tribble felt his team gave the Trojans too much early in the game.

“In the big games, you give the opposition extra opportunities,” Tribble said. “Of course they had a couple of big hits which were mighty meaningful.”

Jared Laxson led East Limestone with a pair of singles. Patrick Meadows had a sixth-inning double and drove in a run.

The Indians got a run in the first inning on Meadows’ ground out, which scored Jared Laxson from third.

Colin Carter blooped a two-run single behind second base in the second for a 3-2 East Limestone lead.

Laxson singled leading off the game and went the second with the ball was misplayed in right field. Bivens’ sacrifice moved Laxson to third, and he scored on Meadows’ ground out to second.

Nathan Dumont reached on an error with one out, and Sam Chaney followed with an infield hit. After both runners stole bases, Carter landed a 1-and-1 pitch in short center field to score both runs.