CHATTANOOGA -- Nationally-ranked Oakland didn't let Houston jumping out of the gate quick to slow it down.

The Patriots, ranked in the USA Today's Top 25, scored two runs in the bottom of the second to tie the game at 2-2 and scored two in the third to take a 4-2 lead and went on to beat the Mustangs 6-2 in the first round of the TSSAA Class AAA Baseball Tournament at Historic Engel Stadium.

Houston (33-10) scored single runs in the first and second innings to take a 2-0 lead.

Colby Paxton had a RBI-double in the first, scoring Josh Payne, who led off the game with a single. Jeff Stephens had an RBI-single in the second inning, scoring Kyle Sledd, who walked to lead off the inning.

Brian Blaylock and Chuck Akers had RBI singles for Oakland (35-2) in the second inning to tie the game.

Jerry Knox, the Patriots starting pitcher, doubled off the base of the center field wall to drive in two runs in the third inning.

Jeremy Sladen had a run-scoring double and Casey Rauschenberger added an RBI-single in the sixth inning.

Knox ran his record to 12-0, overcoming a shaky start. The Mustangs got three hits in the first two innings and did not get another until Ryan Hultin doubled in the seventh. Knox scattered four hits, walked two and struck out 10.

Daniel DeArmas (10-3) picked up the loss for the Mustangs. He gave up 15 hits, six runs -- all earned -- walked two -- both intentional passes to Brennan King -- and struck out five.

Oakland plays the winner of Wednesday's Hendersonville-Farragut game at 12:30 p.m. at Lee University in Cleveland. Houston will play the loser of Wednesday's late game at 10 a.m. at Lee.

CHATTANOOGA -- Dusty Johnson scattered five hits and won his 11th game of the season as Farragut eked out a 2-1 victory over Hendersonville in the first round of the TSSAA Class AAA Baseball Tournament Wednesday at Historic Engel Stadium.

Johnson improved to 11-0, winning a pitcher's duel against Hendersonville's Jeremy Hughett.

Johnson walked one and struck out three and was helped by his defense, which turned three double plays, including one that ended the game after Cory White had singled with one out.

Hughett (9-6) sparkled on the hill as well, scattering six hits, walking one and striking out four.

The Admirals took a 1-0 advantage in the second inning when Jake Allen, who led off with a single and went to third on Jason Wright's single, scored on an errant pickoff throw to first base. Joey Hungate, who was running for Wright, was thrown out at third.

Hendersonville would tie the game at 1-1 in the fifth inning.

Brandon Hall led off the inning with a double and scored on Cory White's single. White was sacrificed to second with one out, but the Commandos could not plate him.

Farragut got the run back in the bottom of the fifth to retake the lead at 2-1.

Hungate, pinch-running for Davis Burklin, scored on a wild pitch after moving to second on Jay Sadlowe's single and to third on Matt Maples' groundout.

Farragut plays Oakland in the winner's bracket finals at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at Lee University. Hendersonville will play Houston at 10 a.m. at Lee University.

CLEVELAND -- Houston rallied with four runs in its final at bat and held off Hendersonville 6-4 in an elimination game Thursday at the TSSAA Class AAA Baseball Tournament at Lee University.

Josh Payne hit one of his two doubles in the game, which tied a tournament record, in the sixth inning to seal the victory.

Payne's heroics overshadowed Hendersonville's Worth Scott.

Scott allowed one run in four innings of work on the mound, had two triples, which tied a tournament record, and a double.

The Commandos (20-18) scored two runs in the first and added single runs in the fifth and seventh innings.

The Mustangs (34-10) got on the board with a run in the third, added another in the fifth before rallying from a 3-2 deficit.

CLEVELAND -- Nationally-ranked Oakland fell behind 6-1 after 3-1/2 innings, then scored 15 unanswered runs in its last three at bats to upend Farragut 16-6 Thursday to earn a berth in Friday's TSSAA Class AAA baseball championship game.

The Patriots (37-2) also avenged one of its regular-season losses. Oakland lost to the Admirals (33-9) during a Knoxville tournament in April.

Oakland scored nine in the fifth inning to erase Farragut's 6-2 advantage.

Jeremy Slayden and Casey Rauschenberger had two-run homers to lead off the inning to tie the game. The Patriots preceded to load the bases where Chuck Akers cleared them with a triple.

Akers was 3-for-4 with a double, triple, stolen base and four runs scored. Slayden drove in three runs. Brennan King, Rauschenberger and Jeremy Wilson had two hits each.

Hunter Rigsby's two-run homer in the fourth extended Farragut's lead to 6-1.

Jay Sadlowe capped the Admirals' four-run third with a two-run single.

CLEVELAND -- Farragut scored four runs in the first inning and never looked back in its 12-4 victory over Houston Friday to advance to the TSSAA Class AAA Baseball championship game at Historic Engel Stadium later Friday.

Jason Wright drove in the first two runs with a single. Chris Goodrich and Davis Burklin also had RBI singles in the frame.

Wright would finish 2-for-4 with a home run and drove in three runs. Burklin was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI and a dobule. Steven Curtis scored three times, drove in two runs and had a double for the Admirals (34-9).

Houston's highlight was back-to-back homers in the sixth by Josh Mungle and Erik Filsinger, which cut the score to 10-4.

Farragut touched home twice in the seventh to ice the victory.

Jay Sadlowe picked up the victory for Farragut. He pitched 5-1/3 innings, allowed six hits, four runs, three earned, walked two and struck out four.

The school's football team won the Class 5A championship in December.

Tournament most valuable player Casey Rauschenberger provided the pop in Oakland's lineup. The Patriot third baseman doubled off the wall in left to drive in a run. His team thought the shot had gone over the wall. In the second inning, Rauschenberger left little doubt when he powered a shot over the 25-foot high wall in right-center to plate three runs, his 12th round-tripper of the season.

Jeremy Slayden added a two-run shot, also his 12th, over the wall in right-center in the fourth inning.

Jason Sharber (6-1) allowed two hits, walked one and struck out four hitters.

Matt Maples and Chris Goodrich had the hits for the Admirals (34-10).

The Patriots, ranked in the USA Today Top 25, finish the season with a 38-2 record.

Matt Conkin, Brandon Hackett (2) and Jason Wright; Jason Sharber and Brian Blaylock. WP -- Sharber, 6-1. LP -- Conkin, 2-1. HR -- Oakland, Casey Rauschenberger (12), Jeremy Slayden (12). Records: Farragut, 34-10; Oakland, 38-2.

CLASS AAA ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Pitchers -- Dusty Johnson, Farragut; Jason Sharber, Oakland.
Catcher -- Jason Wright, Farragut
Infielders -- Brennan King, Oakland; Jerry Knox, Oakland; Colby Paxson, Houston; Casey Rauschenberger, Oakland.
Outfielders -- Chuck Akers,, Oakland; Jeremy Slayden, Oakland; Jeremy Wilson, Oakland.
Designated hitter -- Worth Scott, Hendersonville.
Most valuable player -- Casey Rauschenberger, Oakland.