Host Princeton used the long ball against Dixon while Rosewood took advantage of big hits and Spring Creek mistakes to set up a championship meeting between Carolina 1-A Conference rivals in the annual Deacon Jones Invitational baseball tournament.

Dixon will meet Spring Creek for third place Friday at 4, while the Dawgs and Eagles tussle for the title at 7.

Princeton 5, Dixon 4

DIX 102 001 0 - 4 7 3

PRI 010 301 x - 5 8 1

W-R. Daughtry; L-P. Batchelor

HR: PRI-D. Daughtry 2, R. Daughtry; DIX-J. Schoonover, C. Huie.

Leading hitters: PRI-D. Daughtry 3-3 (4 RBI), B. Myers 2-3; DIX-D. DeNoia 3-3, C. Huie 2-2.

Dillon Daughtry slammed a pair of home runs and added an RBI double in leading Princeton to a come-from-behind victory over Dixon of the Coastal 1-A Conference in the battle of the Bulldogs.

The sophomore center fielder started his day by cracking a game-tying double off the right field fence in the bottom of the second inning to score Benton Myers, tying the game at 1-1.

He then gave Princeton its first lead at 4-3 in the bottom half of the fourth inning with a two-run shot, scoring Myers ahead of him after Myers' fly ball to right was misplayed into a three-base error.

Ryan Daughtry's lead off homer in the fourth had drawn Princeton within 3-2.

After Dixon had rallied to tie the game at 4-4 in the top half of the sixth, Dillon Daughtry delivered the game-winner, a first-pitch blast over the right field fence, once again scoring Myers, who had singled.

But the game-winner was not without controversy.

Myers, who enjoyed a 2-for-2 day at the plate, stayed at first base waiting to see if Dillon Daughtry's blow would clear the fence. As fate would have it, Daughtry ran into Myers as he rounded first.

The umpires, after deliberating, called Dillon Daughtry out, saying he passed Myers on the base path, but allowed Myers' run to count.

Dillon Daughtry's 3-for-3 day made a winner of Ryan Daughtry, who came on in relief of starting pitcher Chris Hinton.

Hinton, despite recording six strikeouts, struggled against Dixon, allowing a lead off homer to J. J. Schoonover for a 1-0 deficit.

He then gave up a two-run shot to Chris Huie in the third inning, as Dixon took a 3-1 lead.

Ryan Daughtry, who entered the game in the sixth with runners on second and third and none out, shut the door, striking out one and walking one over his two-inning stint.

Patrick Batchelor took the loss for Dixon, striking out six and walking one.

Rosewood 12, Spring Creek 2 (5)

SPC 001 01 - 2 2 4

RWD 451 02 - 12 11 2

W- T. Allen; L-A. Brogden

HRs - RWD: T. Allen, R. Franks.

Leading hitters - RWD: T. Allen 2-2; C. Richards 2-4 2b, 3b; S. Bostic 2-3. SCR: A. Casey 2-3.

The Eagles scored early and often against their Carolina Conference rivals, mixing walks and the long ball in a four-run first inning and a five-run second, putting the game away early.

Taylor Allen started things for the Eagles as he followed a one-out walk to Matt Neal with a home run to left, giving Rosewood a 2-0 lead.

A walk to Holt Raines was followed by Cody Richards' RBI-triple down the right field line. Richards then scored on Steven Bostic's sacrifice fly.

The Eagles continued to thrive against Gators pitching in the second, sending 10 batters to the plate while receiving three walks and two wild pitches.

In their gratitude, the Eagles padded their lead on Robert Franks' two-run homer and Richards' one-out, two-run double, in chasing losing pitcher Anthony Brogden.

Allen was as effective on the mound as he was at the plate, limiting the Gators to two hits while striking out seven batters, walking just two and hitting one.

Alex Casey broke up Allen's no-hit bid with an RBI-single in the third, drawing the Gators within 9-1.

He picked up Spring Creek's other hit, a two-out infield single in the fifth that the Eagle defense turned into a run scoring error when Neal threw the ball away at first.