Cranfield continues success against Benton|[4/19/06]

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, April 19, 2006

BENTON – As soon as Matt Cranfield started to answer a question about his success against Benton Academy, he was quickly cut off by his coach.

Randy Wright warned his pitcher about providing bulletin board material and whispered something in his ear. Cranfield laughed, repeated the cliches he had been given, and smiled, content in the knowledge that he had made the Raiders’ lives miserable once again – even if he couldn’t talk about it.

The sophomore right-hander allowed two earned runs and four hits in 6 1/3 innings, struck out nine and scored two runs of his own to lead Porters Chapel Academy to a 10-6 win over Benton on Tuesday in the opening game of the first round of the MPSA Class A playoffs.

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It was Cranfield’s second playoff win in as many tries against Benton. He pitched PCA to a win in Game 2 of a second-round series last season. PCA lost that series, but can eliminate Benton this time around by winning Game 2 at home on Thursday at 7 p.m. Game 3, if necessary, will be Friday night at 7 at Benton.

&#8220Matt was outstanding. He got ahead in the count, filled the strike zone and really pitched well,” Wright said.

The game was sloppy on both sides. Each team committed six errors, leading to 11 unearned runs between them. Four of PCA’s errors came after it had built a six-run lead on the back of Benton’s miscues, and allowed the Raiders to stay in the game.

Cranfield kept his cool, though, and pitched out of several jams with minimal damage. The Eagles then scored enough to keep a comfortable margin. They never led by less than three runs after taking the lead for good in the top of the fourth.

&#8220We did not play our best game, but the important thing is we went on the road in the playoffs and got a win,” Wright said. &#8220We need to come home Thursday and wrap it up.”

The game was tied 1-1 in the fourth when things started to unravel for Benton.

Cranfield led off with a single, and Brady Towne followed with a fly ball to right. Benton’s Will Middleton lost the ball in the darkening sky and dropped the routine fly, allowing Towne to reach and Cranfield to get to third. Cranfield then scored on a sacrifice fly by Robbie Simms to put the Eagles ahead 2-1.

The miscue by Middleton was one of three fly balls or pop-ups that were misplayed by Benton’s fielders in the first four innings.

&#8220Twilight,” Benton coach Terry King said in explaining the outfield adventures. &#8220My outfielders said they could see it in the trees, and then didn’t see it again until it came down.”

An infield single, walk and botched double play ball led to two more PCA runs in the fourth, and the Eagles tacked on three more unearned runs in the fifth to stretch the lead to 7-1.

A string of Porters Chapel errors, though, allowed Benton to claw back into the game, trailing 9-6 after the sixth inning.

PCA added an insurance run in the seventh on a Cole Smith double.

Smith came on in relief with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to wrap up the victory.

&#8220You saw the final score. Give it to them, they took advantage of us. We’ve.

got our work cut out for us now,” King said.