Benton holds off depleted Eagles, 8-7

Published 12:00 am Friday, March 14, 2003

[3/12/03]Porters Chapel’s offense struggled when it could least afford to Tuesday night.

The Eagles left 16 men on base in losing their second game in as many days, 8-7, to Benton Academy in nine innings Tuesday.

Porters Chapel had eight runners stranded in scoring position, including a man on third in each of the final three innings.

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“We had several opportunities to win that ballgame,” PCA coach Randy Wright said. “I have been preaching to these guys for years that two-out hits win ballgames.”

PCA started with a freshman pitcher, then looked to an eighth-grader to hold Benton down before turning the ball over to senior Andrew Embry.

With the game tied at 7 in the top of the ninth inning, Curt Middleton hit a solo home run to give Benton an 8-7 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, Chase Towne reached on a fielder’s choice and Josh Rush was hit by a pitch. Each advanced on a wild pitch to set the table with men on second and third with two outs.

Winning pitcher Josh Waters, who had a three-run home run and four RBIs, got Humphrey Barlow to ground out and end the game.

“We left 16 men on base,” Wright said. “We did not come up with the big hit when we needed it.”

Waters’ blast off of freshman Daniel Ivey in the second inning capped a six-run inning and gave the visitors a 6-1 lead.

Eighth-grader Tyler Wells allowed one run over 3 1/3 innings before giving way to Embry.

Embry led the Eagles’ offense with a single, double, home run and three RBIs, while Towne had two hits and an RBI, and Barlow had a double.

Tyler Ingram also had a double in the loss.

Porters Chapel pulled to within a run in the fifth inning, highlighted by Embry’s blast. Towne’s RBI single in the bottom of the seventh tied the game, 7-7.

PCA will play two games today, at 11 a.m. against Central Hinds and at 4 p.m. against Leake.