Commerce, Texas -- The Dodd City Hornets and the Sulphur Bluff Bears split the first two games of their bi-district battle, setting up a deciding game three on Friday and this one was a nail-biter.

The first three innings were a scoreless pitchers' duel between Dodd City's Gavin Shindler and Sulphur Bluff's Trey Tully.

Dodd City got to Tully for three runs in the top of the fourth and Sulphur Bluff got on the scoreboard with a run in the bottom half of the frame.

Both teams added a run in the fifth inning to give Dodd City a 4-2 lead.

With their season on the line, Sulphur Bluff managed to score a run in the bottom of the sixth and the Bears picked up a crucial run in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings with the teams all knotted up at 4-4.

But Dodd City wasn't going to let this one get away. The Hornets scored a run in the top of the eighth and then blanked the Bears in the bottom half of the inning to put the finishing touches on an exciting 5-4 victory.

Dodd City's Maddox Lappin drove in two runs with one hit. Cash Crossland had one hit and scored twice. Brody Lappin, Weldon Garner, O Hanni Torres and Shindler had one hit apiece in the pressure-packed game.

Riley Walker, Garner and Torres all had one RBI.

Shindler got the start on the mound for Dodd City and went six innings, with Caysen Lappin coming on in relief in the seventh inning and then Maddox Lappin took over in the eighth inning to get the final two outs.

The Dodd City Hornets advance to face Bryson in the area round.