DEMOPOLIS &8212; Greene County Steam Plant won the Babe Ruth area tournament, 5-4, Wednesday in a close game against second place Marengo County Butane that was decided in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The game was a defensive struggle with sparse streaks of runs thrown in as the groups went back and forth. The seventh inning saw a rally from Marengo but in the top followed by a rebuttal in the form of the winning run by Greene County in the bottom of the inning.

The game seemed like it would be a high scoring affair in the first inning, in which both teams scored. Marengo County Butane opened it up with a runner, Rabe Hale, making it to second off an error and a ground out by the following batter moved him to third. A triple from Chase Smyly brought in Hale and Smyly followed off a pass ball during the next at bat before Greene County shut out the inning, 2-0.

Greene County chopped at the lead the next inning off a single from Trevor Johnson, who advanced to third off a pass ball. A single from Chris Sammons brought him across the plate, leaving the score 2-1 at the end of the inning.

Batting dried up for both groups until the bottom of the third inning when Greene County wrestled away the lead. Michael Martin and Mathew Martin were hit by pitches to lead off and a single off an error got Russ Seale on and loaded the bases. Chase Cameron hit a single that advanced Seale to third and brought in both Martins. A hit from Ben McCarter resulted in a fielder&8217;s choice at second and allowed Seale to score giving Greene County a 4-2 lead before the end of the inning.

Both teams again hit a dry spell at the plate and each team saw four batters come and go without scoring during every at bat for the next three innings.

In the top of the seventh Marengo County Butane made a valiant push to tie the game in hopes of sending it to extra innings, win and send the championship to a second if game. Hale opened it up with a double to center field, but was followed by a ground out and a strikeout. A double from Barger kept hopes alive and scored Hale. After William Hill was subsequently walked, Hunter Vick hit a single, which brought in Barger and tied up the game, 4-4. Greene County tightened up and escaped the go ahead run off the following pop out to right field.

After allowing the tying run, Greene County came out ready to close out the game. Seale lead off with a double, placing himself in scoring positions. Cameron, who had pitched the entire game for the group and thrown 91 pitches on the day, stepped up after Seale and hit a pop fly down the third base line that allowed Seale to cross the plate and Greene County Steam Plant to seal up the championship.