Auburn Orange used a six-run first inning Thursday to win the Dixie Youth Baseball AAA state tournament 8-2 over Dothan National at Clanton City Park.

Dothan advanced to the championship game with a win over Taylorville earlier in the day.

Dothan opened the game with a run in the top of the first inning on an RBI single by Brady Johnson, but Auburn answered emphatically with six runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Austin Triplett started the scoring with an RBI single that scored Brad Norman. Tyus Flakes then scored from third on a double steal. Ryan Watson followed with an RBI double and Brian Carter took a walk with the bases loaded to score Watson.

The final, and perhaps most damaging, blow was a double off the bat of Ben Ruffin that scored both Drew Beisel and Hayden Williams.

Auburn added a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. Williams drove in Bradley Northcutt for one run, and the other came across on an error.

Dothan tried a comeback in its final turn to bat, as Jake Hutto singled in Geoffrey Grier, but Auburn reliever Norman caught a pop up to end the game.

Northcutt was the winning pitcher, his fifth of the tournament, allowing one run in three innings.

Flakes and Williams both went 2-for-3 for Auburn. Watson and Carter had two RBI each.