LEESBURG — The Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets broke open a close game with a five-run outburst in the sixth inning, beating the Lee County Trojans 7-1 Tuesday night in a non-region baseball game. 

Nick Herndon was 2-for-4 with a double and drove in three runs, and Shane Stephenson had two RBIs.

Herndon’s run-scoring single in the third tied the game 1-1, and Slade Taylor followed with a RBI single to put Thomas County Central in front.

The Yellow Jackets loaded the bases on three walks in the sixth, and Stephenson delivered a two-run single. Jarrod Johnson’s singled made it 5-1, and Herndon capped the rally with a two-out, two-run double to right.

Pace Mercer struck out five and allowed one run on five hits in five innings for the Yellow Jackets. Zach Fletcher struck out three in two spotless innings of relief.

The Trojans used seven pitchers on the night.

Central, now 4-0, hosts Warner Robins in a Region 1-AAAAA opener Friday at 5:30 p.m. and takes on Griffin on Saturday at Lowndes High.