After winning three straight elimination games against non-Texas teams, the Vicksburg Gators’ engine went dry against Tri-County, Texas, on Monday afternoon.

The South Texas champs ripped a pair of two-run home runs and eliminated the Gators 8-4 at Bazinsky Field.

Tri-County advanced to the finals and then forced a decisive championship game after beating previously unbeaten Mid-County, Texas, 12-7 Monday night. The title game is set for today at 2 p.m. at Bazinsky Field.

The Gators (3-2) finished third in the eight-team regional.

&#8220We just ran out of gas,” Vicksburg coach Jamie Creel said. &#8220We competed hard and we showed a lot of fight in our last two at bats once we got down. The big difference between us and the two Texas teams is that they are drawing kids from eight different schools to our two.”

Vicksburg was sent to the losers’ bracket after dropping a 5-2 decision to Mid-County Friday night. Like that game, which was 2-2 in the fifth, the game with Tri-County was tied at 4 going into the top of the fifth.

A walk and two infield hits loaded the bases against Vicksburg reliever Brian Fitzgerald. Pinch-hitter Aaron Alvarez then drew a bases-loaded walk to break the tie.

Jon Stavinoha then scored on Joe Tallerine’s fielder’s choice to make it 6-4.

In the sixth, Colby Schindler doubled and scored on a two-run homer by Trent Popp to put the Texans up 8-4.

&#8220Any time you get a home run like that, it pumps you up,” said Tallerine, who overcame a shaky start to pitch all seven innings and grab the win.

&#8220This reminded me a lot of the game I pitched in the Texas state playoffs. We had a lead against the No. 5 team in our class and then they loaded the bases late and I got out of it,” added Tallerine, a rising junior who is the No. 2 pitcher at Bellevue High School in Texas.

The Gators got to Tallerine early, scoring two runs in the first to erase a 1-0 deficit. Kurt Cooksey singled in Trey Prentiss to tie it and Ryan Ferrington followed with a triple to right to put the Gators up 2-1.

A two-run homer by Cameron Behrends put Tri-County back ahead at 4-2. The blast came against Gator starter Chris Snow.

After hitting a batter, Snow was lifted for Fitzgerald. The Gator lefty pitched two-plus scoreless innings before giving up the two runs in the fifth.

The Gators tied it at 4-4 with two in the second when Blake Hynum scored off an error and Tyler Temple came in on a flyout by Fitzgerald.

Tallerine then dominated the next three innings, retiring nine of the next 10 Gators he faced. He walked two in the sixth to load the bases. He battled back to strike out pinch-hitter Jason Pettway and then got Bowen Woodson to pop out to short.

In the seventh, the Gators had two on with Trey Prentiss on third, but Tallerine got a strikeout and a groundout to end the game. He finished with eight strikeouts.

Tri-County finished with 11 hits while Vicksburg had six. Fitzgerald had two hits for the Gators.

Tri-County 12, Mid-County 7

Kyle Supak struck out eight in four innings of relief to lift Tri-County into a second and final title game against Mid-County.

Joe Tallerine had the game’s big hit for Tri-County in a decisive six-run fourth inning with a bases-clearing triple.

Tallerine then came around after a Mid-County error to score and make it 11-5.

Tallerine finished with three hits.