A fifth-inning blast from Hodges Manning broke a scoreless deadlock and lifted the Washington 10U All-Stars to a 1-0 victory over the defending state champions on Thursday in Round 1 of the Little Tarheel State Tournament, held at the Susiegray McConnell Complex in Washington.

With seeding chosen at random, the 10U tournament opener paired what many considered to by the top two teams in the bracket — Washington and the Wendell 10U All-Stars, a power-pitching squad from the outskirts of Raleigh that took the Little Tarheel State title last season. Many players from the championship team suited up on Thursday, but after a taxing pitchers’ duel in close to 100-degree heat, the visitors will now have to battle their way our of the losers’ bracket for the first time in two years.

“It’s a huge win and I think it does two things,” said head coach Chip Edwards. “One, it gives us confidence to know that we can play with anyone, have a chance to beat anybody. We’ve never won a 1-0 game before and we’ve never won a game on a home run … Several things that have never happened to our boys before and they’ve never been held to no runs through five innings like that, but they don’t quit. They never have and they never will.”

For a team that’s become accustomed to mercy rule victories and Picasso-like scorecards through the all-star season, this was a game of firsts — the first home run of the season, the first time the lineup has failed to post a run through four frames and the first 1-0 victory. It’s a breathe of fresh air for a coaching staff that knew little of the opposition entering the four-round tournament.

Manning’s fifth-inning antics were timely, but it was Eli Huyhn’s sterling performance on the rubber that matched the opposition and opened the door for a late-inning victory. Huynh faced 20 batters and retired 18 of them, 11 via the strikeout, allowing just two base runners to reach on two softly hit singles.

“There are guys out here who throw harder than Eli, but there aren’t many who throw more consistently and change speeds as well as he does,” Edwards said. “That’s what makes him a really effective pitcher. Absolutely nothing rattles him at all, doesn’t matter what it is. He always has a smile on his face and he’s always trying really hard. That’s the mark of a great pitcher.”

Wendell used three pitchers and held Washington to a season-low total of five base runners on two walks, two singles and Manning’s homer.

Huynh pounded the strike zone through the early innings, inducing wild uppercut swings and routine groundouts. The result was a perfect first three frames. Wendell’s Jake Barbour was the first batter to reach on a single through an infield gap with two outs in the fourth.

Keifer Boyd and Zac Lilley reached on back-to-back walks in the first inning, but both were left stranded. A second-inning single from Manning and a third-inning base knock up the middle from Connor Flowers were all the offensive production Washington could muster off pitcher Aaron Measley.

Then, with two outs in the fifth inning, Manning stepped to the plate and connected with a fastball, sending it over the fence in left-center and giving Washington a one-run advantage.

“When Hodges hits the ball, most of the time, it’s on a line,” Edwards said. “He’ll rope a ground-rule double or something up the middle, but he hardly ever hits it up enough to make it go, never hits pop ups. When he hit it, I was thinking double and yelled, ‘Go two, go two, go two.’ Then I looked at it and it cleared the fence. It was unexpected from him, but he clearly has it in him. I have several of these kids that have it in them. They just don’t go to the plate scared.”

In the top of the sixth, Wendell threatened with a leadoff bunt single by Wyatt Holbrook. Holbrook later reached second after a sacrifice bunt to the mound.

But Huynh answered with back-to-back strikeouts to end the game and send Washington to the second round.

“This was a super test,” Edwards said. “They are a fantastic ball team with great pitching, great fielding. We were evenly matched and there was one hit that made the difference. It’s a championship-type ballgame, but that’s how it really should be between two great teams.”

With the win, Washington advances to face the winner of Hickory and East Chatham today at 10 a.m. at Field 4 of the Susiegray McConnell Complex.