JACKSON, Mo. -- The Dunklin County American Legion team is one win away from its second consecutive District 14 championship, following a come-from-behind 11-9 victory against host Jackson that began Wednesday night and ended in the wee minutes of Thursday morning at Legion Field.

Dunklin County (34-15) advanced to Thursday's 8 p.m. championship game, where it may meet the winner of Jackson and Scott County. But Scott County's win against Cape Girardeau earlier Wednesday is under protest for an examination of the eligibility of some players on Scott County's roster.

Post 303 had to rally after falling behind 7-1 after 2 innings.

"District Legion games are nine-inning games, and anything can happen," Dunklin County coach Jamie Johnson said. "I'm really proud of the kids for not laying down."

Dunklin County rallied twice in a game where nearly everything did happen.

After Jackson built its lead and knocked Dustin Hunter out of the box, Sloan Richardson quieted Jackson's bats enough to allow Dunklin County to rally.

Post 303 knotted the game 7-7 with its tying tally coming in the bottom of the sixth on a controversial play. Dunklin County had runners on second and third with no outs when a balk was called on Jackson pitcher Travis Hurst, who made a pitch without stopping in the stretch. Aaron McCaig hit the pitch into left field, scoring one run. An outfield bobble allowed the second run to score as McCaig finally took off for first base and reached safely. Somewhere in between, an umpire called a dead ball. After about 20 minutes of conversation, one run was scored, one baserunner left on third and McCaig placed on first with an RBI single. After a walk loaded the bases, reliever Drew Coleman retired the next three batters to end the threat.

Jackson then jumped back on top in the seventh when Ryan Cheney walked to open the frame and Ethan Devenport smashed a home run to left field. Those were the lone runs scored against Richardson in his five innings of relief work.

Heath Horvath pitched the final 1 2/3 innings for the save, which included an out on a wild pitch on a play at the plate in the eighth inning.

Horvath struck out the side in the ninth, when one batter reached by error.

Dunklin County, meanwhile, scored three in the seventh and another in the eighth to cap its comeback.

"It was just a good ballgame," Jackson coach Mark Lewis said. "A few plays here and there and we probably win."

One of those plays came in the top of the eighth inning, not long after Michael Mouser accepted a one-out walk that ended Richardson's night. Horvath, who moved to the mound from first base, struggled with control early. Mouser stole second and took third on a wild pitch that came during the walk to No. 3 hitter Blake Reiminger. With cleanup batter Jake Hime at the plate, Horvath delivered high and directly to the backstop. Kaleb Canoy chased the ball down and threw to Horvath to get Mouser at home.

"It was just a read play," Lewis said. "Nine times out of 10, the ball doesn't bounce back to the catcher like that. I don't think he even get any leather on the pitch, which probably helped him make the play when it hit the backstop.

"I told my kid, 'Good job, tough play.'"

"That was a big play in the ballgame," Johnson said. "Kaleb Canoy does a great job for us behind the plate. We're fortunate to have him."

Horvath ended the inning by striking out Hime, who was ejected after throwing his bat.

Horvath then wrapped up a hitless 1 2/3 with three more strikeouts in the ninth.

Richardson, the winning pitcher in last year's district championship game against Scott County, struck out six in his five innings. He allowed only two hits and walked four.

"Sloan threw great," Johnson said. "He absolutely came in and bailed us out."

"He made some really good pitches and started hitting spots a little bit," Lewis said. "They needed him to come in and slow things down, and he did."

Jackson opened with two runs in the first against Hunter on a two-out, two-run double by Ryan Cheney.

After Dunklin County answered with one in the bottom half, Jackson put together a three-run second inning. Melvin Johnson's sacrifice fly drove in Kyle Reynolds, who had doubled and took third on a wild pitch. Austin Brown walked, Chad Scoggins reached on an error and, after Mouser's sacrifice, Reiminger belted a 1-2 pitch into right field to score two more runs.

Hunter left the game in the third with the bases loaded. Richardson walked Scroggins for one run and after Mouser struck out, Reiminger singled to center for another run. Brown was thrown out at the plate by Garrett Stockton, however, leaving Jackson's lead at 7-1.

That was not going to be enough.

"We're not going to lay down," Johnson said. "We keep playing until the last out is made, and hopefully we're on the right end of it.

"You have to tip your cap to Jackson tonight."

But Post 303, the top seed for the tournament, began chipping away in the bottom of the third.

Lefty Austin Jackson launched a two-run home run over the right field wall with two outs.

In the fourth, Horvath doubled to left-center and scored when shortstop Scroggins could not handle a two-out grounder that took a bad hop.

With two outs in the fifth, Horvath hit a bases-loaded, two-run double to right-center.

Dunklin County picked up on McCaig's hit immediately following the balk call but left the bases stranded.

Post 303 was able to regain momentum after Devenport's homer by scoring three in the bottom of the seventh.

Hunter got to second on a pop fly to short right that first baseman Cheney was unable to snare. Dylan Stockton walked, and Coleman threw a wild pitch during a walk to Booker. McCaig hit a grounder up the middle that skipped off Scroggins, allowing two runs to score. Jackson delivered an RBI single to give Dunklin County its first lead.

In the eighth, Hunter singled, stole second and third and scored on the insurance run on a wild pitch.

Jackson will play at 5 p.m., possibly against Scott County, pending the protest.

"If we come out and get some pitching and play well, we'll see," Lewis said.

Jackson and Dunklin County both played in the zone tournament last year, though they did not meet. Jackson, which was the zone host, was eliminated in two games, while Dunklin County finished second to Anheuser-Busch.

Now, Post 303 is one win away from another zone appearance.

Dunklin County 11, Jackson 9

Jackson 232 000 200 -- 9 9 4

Dunklin 102 121 31x -- 11 9 3

WP -- Sloan Richardson; LP -- Drew Coleman; Sv -- Heath Horvath.

2B -- Ryan Cheney (J), Kyle Reynolds (J), Horvath (D) 2, HR -- Ethan Devenport (J), Austin Jackson (D).

Multiple hits -- Jackson, Blake Reiminger 2-4, Jake Hime 2-5; Dunklin, Dustin Hunter 2-5, Austin Jackson 2-4.