With a win the squad would reach the 25-win plateau for the season, and also bring the career win total for Dyersburg head coach Tom Mathis to 400 during his 20-year career.

The Trojans earned their 25th win and No. 400 for Mathis behind a stellar performance from right-hander Joey Wilder and a 3-run sixth inning, ending the regular season with a solid, 4-0 victory over the Vikings.

" We played a little small ball tonight and we have that in our arsenal," said Mathis afterward. "We laid our bunts down, stole bases, hit and ran and put the pressure on their (Humboldt) defense and made things happen. I think this was just the type of game we needed before the district tournament."

Dyersburg (25-9, 9-3) picked up a run in the bottom of the second when Adam Smith and Bryson Horner combined for back-to-back singles to put runners aboard. Austin Crisp hit into a fielder's choice to move the runners to second and third before a base running blunder almost cost the Trojans.

Though the mental error gave cause for concern, Smith would eventually score from third on a balk for the first run of the game as the Trojans held a 1-0 advantage with two innings in the books.

While Wilder was making quick work of the Vikings in the third, fourth, and fifth innings, the junior ran into a two out, bases loaded jam in the sixth before being relieved by teammate Jesse McNeil.

McNeil worked out of the frame when Matt Chandler came up with a defensive gem at third base to end the threat.

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"Joey gave us five great innings tonight and he need to have an outing like this. We were able to bring in Jesse with the bases loaded and he was able to get us a ground ball to get out of the inning, -- man that was huge," said Mathis.

Holding a slim 1-0 advantage going to the bottom of the sixth the Trojans looked to put the icing on the cake for Mathis's shot at win No.400.

Already with two hits on the night, Smith benefitted from an errant throw after bunting down the third base line with one aboard. When the dust settled, Chandler had crossed the plate and the sprinting Smith was standing at third.

The 2-0 lead grew when Horner reached on an error to push Smith across the plate before Austin Crisp scored on a sac fly from Michael Berardi for a 4-0 advantage.

The win became a formality when the flame-throwing Les Smith took the mound in the seventh. Facing one over the minimum, the senior right-hander made quick work of the Vikings as the Trojans won in a shutout, 4-0.

Immediately following the contest, members of the squad presented Mathis with a Black and Gold base in honor of the 20-year veteran reaching the 400-win milestone.

"As a coach you remember your first win -- oddly enough mine was against Dyersburg 20 years ago -- and then every century mark after that. You remember the kids that were on the team and I can remember those games just like it was yesterday," said Mathis.

Mathis's career as a baseball coach began at Ripley, with the last 16 seasons spent as head of the Trojan program. While the milestone is a great achievement, Mathis considers himself fortunate top have had some pretty good people around him through the years.

"I've had good players, great players, and a great group of assistant coaches through the years. I have been really fortunate over the last 16 years here at Dyersburg and I just really want to thank everyone for their support through the years because I wouldn't be here today without it," added Mathis.

Dyersburg is the host school for the District 13-AA tournament, and while the first game of the tournament will begin on Thursday at 4:30 p.m., the Trojans will not play until Friday at 4:30 p.m. against an opponent yet to be determined.