FRANKLIN — As East Daviess County’s 9- and 10-year-old All-Stars squad coach Jeff Johnson stood at the pitcher’s mound and began stretching out the championship banner, it took a few seconds for the moment to sink in for his players.

But once it did, they all rushed the mound to celebrate. The photo flashes popped like fireworks on the Fourth of July.

East Daviess County jumped out early Wednesday and never looked back, notching a 13-3 win in five innings over Warren County South in the title game of the 9- and 10-year-old District 1 Little League Tournament at Community Park in Franklin.

South became a little rattled after giving up five runs in the first two innings and the poor start was too much for South to overcome.

“I am extremely proud of the hard work these guys did over the last three weeks,” South coach Tony Shyrock said. “They have actually accomplished more than the 9- and 10 -year-olds have in the last five years. This is the first time in five years that the 9- and 10- year-olds have played for a district title and they have a lot to be proud of.”

East Daviess County - which now advances to the Little League State Tournament next weekend in Richmond - scored one run off no hits in the first inning after three batters were walked. The run scored on a wild pitch. But East Daviess County took advantage of its three hits in the second inning and scored four runs to take a 5-0 lead.

“Things didn’t go our way in the first inning and they kind of got down and never did recover from that,” Shyrock said. “But they are 9 and 10.”

East Daviess County had 10 hits and tacked on four runs in the fourth inning and four more in the fifth. East Daviess County was led by Luke Hayden, who went 2-for-3 with a walk and scored three times.

South managed its first run in the third inning. Russ Kerr scored off a hit to center field by Logan Bowen. Bowen’s RBI cut East Daviess County’s lead to 5-1.

South came up with two more runs in the fifth inning, but couldn’t mount the comeback.

EDC 140 44 x - 13 10 2

WCS 001 02 x - 3 8 4