NEDERLAND — Port Arthur Memorial isn’t going to the 5A baseball playoffs.

So, the next best thing the Titans could do — other than beat Nederland — is to make the Bulldogs work for at least a share of the District 22-5A championship.

Nederland opened up a 2-1 lead with seven runs in the sixth inning and earned one piece of the title Tuesday night in beating Memorial 9-2.

Port Neches-Groves defeated Livingston 9-0 Tuesday, so Nederland (20-6-1, 12-1 in 22-5A) will have to beat Memorial (records unavailable) in the regular-season finale Friday at Port Arthur to win 22-5A outright. PNG has sewn up the second seed in 22-5A, but could still win a share of the title if it and Memorial win Friday.

The onslaught in Nederland began when an Adam Roccaforte walk, Brady Holton single and Jackson Nichols hit-by-pitch loaded the bases. Landon Hiltz, who was batting .464 going into the game, hit a one-run single, Colton Hartt executed a bunt into another RBI single, Case Babino, Trevor Simon and Angel Castillo walked, Roccaforte singled and Simon scored on a wild pitch.

Nederland led 1-0 through two innings after Castillo scored on a Kyler Bertrand sacrifice fly. Memorial tied it in the third when David Torres singled to score Omar Mascorro but Castillo’s bases-loaded walk put Nederland up for good in the third.

Braydon Credeur struck out eight Titans and managed to hold them to two runs on three hits in 6 1/3 innings. Roberto Collazo went 5 1/3 innings for Memorial and gave up all nine earned runs on six hits, issuing two strikeouts. Jacob Mares tossed two K’s in the final two-thirds.

Seven different Bulldogs each had a hit. Mascorro had two hits for Memorial.