After a long weekend filled with weather delays, double-headers and close calls, the Troy Dixie Boys found themselves still playing for a second-consecutive state title early Monday morning.

However, it would that would not be the case by the end of the day.

On Saturday night, Troy fell for the first time in tournament play to Daphne and after three games apiece, the two met again on Monday – with the result begin the same.

After defeating Cherokee County Monday morning, Troy was unable to rally past Daphne, falling 11-4.

“We ran out of gas,” head coach Sam Kitchen said Monday night.

“A lot of different things caught up to us (Monday night) and it showed.

“But Daphne is a real solid team, I can’t say enough about them. They did a lot of things right and we didn’t.”

Daphne was able to get up early on Troy, taking a six-run lead after two innings.

Troy did fight back, starting in the third inning, when the team scored two and then two more runs in the fourth inning to cut the deficit to 6-4.

That would be the closest Troy would get however, as Daphne added five more runs before the game was over.

Blake Craft started out on the mound for Troy, and was followed by both John Johnson and Luke Hastings.

“We just fell short,” the coach said.

“I am extremely proud of the guys though for the hard work and effort they put fourth during the tournaments.

“They had a good showing – just wish things could have ended on a happier note,” Kitchens added.

In order for Troy to get to the night game, it had to win its morning game.

First up was Cherokee County and after a several lead changes, Troy finished on top with a 10-7 win.

“We hung on,” head coach Sam Kitchens said Monday afternoon. “I’m proud of the guys for that.”

There were four different lead changes in the game, as Cherokee County took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, before Troy took a 3-2 lead an inning later.

After going up 6-4, Cherokee fought back to take a 7-6 lead before Troy would eventually tie and win the game by three runs.

The game marked the team’s fourth game in three days and third consecutive win after falling to Daphne in the first round game on Saturday.

“I was afraid they would be a bit sluggish to start things off,” the coach said. “And they were – but they did a good job of regrouping.”

At the plate, both Brian Adams and Craft finished 3-4 with an RBI and run scored a piece.

Morgan Shaver finished 2-3, John Michael Stephens finished 2-2 and Hastings, Myles Loving, Kenyatta Jones, Rhett Tucker and Taylor Lord all finished with a base hit.

On the mound, Adams started things off, while Hastings and Stephens finished things up.