HARRODSBURG — Mercer County let it be known who was the better team from the kickoff on Tuesday against Western Hills.

Less than a minute after the first kick, Brandon Ballard had played in Cody Shackleford for a goal.

Mercer’s longest dry spell was after that goal, waiting 12 minutes before Ballard scored his own. Garrett Dean assisted Ballard one minute later to put the Titans up 3-0.

Ballard completed his hat-trick eight minutes later on an assist from Angelo Ontiveros.

Nick McClain delivered a free-kick from just inside the half-way line for Dean to head home in the 27th minute, putting Mercer up 5-0.

Trey Releford got in on the action with the longest goal of the night, a 40-yard cross that looped over the keepers’ head into the side of the net.

Denson Jenkins scored the seventh and eighth goals of the night, just a minute apart.

At halftime, Mercer led 8-0.

It took 20 minutes for Mercer to score its final two goals of the night: One by Shackleford and a blast by Marcus Lewis to end the game via mercy rule.

The win was Mercer’s second mercy rule victory in a row after beating 46th District opponent East Jessamine 11-1 on Sept. 15. It’s the third mercy-rule win for the Titans this season.

Mercer will travel to West Jessamine tomorrow before traveling to McCracken County for the River Region Rumble this weekend.

Follow Matt Overing on Twitter @MOvering