It was supposed to be an epic pitchers’ duel … on paper, at least.

But when The Woodlands and Oak Ridge took the field on Tuesday night at War Eagle Stadium, the game quickly turned into a slugfest, with each team exchanging rounds of offensive fire. In the end, though, the Highlanders prevailed and captured a 9-6 victory that gave them a two-game lead at the top of the District 14-5A standings.

The Highlanders, ranked No. 6 in the state by the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association, improved to 20-3 overall and are through the first round of league play with a sparkling 6-0 mark. The War Eagles, ranked No. 10 in the state, dropped to 19-3 overall and 4-2 in the loop.

“Any time you play a great team like Oak Ridge in a big district ballgame, it’s going to be a battle,” The Woodlands coach Ron Eastman said. “They’ve got a great program over there.”

The Highlanders’ Chris Andritsos and the War Eagles’ Luken Baker — Tuesday’s starting pitchers — are two of the top players in the area, but both got into some trouble early in the game.