PCA crushes Benton in Game 2, 15-5|[4/21/06]

Published 12:00 am Friday, April 21, 2006

The Porters Chapel Eagles had already gotten a taste of revenge against Benton Academy.

The second helping was a lot sweeter.

Robbie Simms, Michael Busby and Chris Mixon all hit home runs in a span of four batters in the fourth inning Thursday, triggering a six-run rally that propelled PCA to a 15-5 win over Benton and a 2-0 sweep of their first-round MPSA Class A playoff series.

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The Eagles (20-8-1) advanced to face defending state champion Tunica Institute in a second-round series next week, but for at least one day they will savor the flavor of a win over a bitter rival.

Benton (12-10) eliminated PCA from the playoffs last season, but this marked the second time this school year that the Eagles knocked Benton out of the postseason. PCA also won a second-round playoff game against the Raiders in football.

&#8220We beat them in football and put them out, but baseball is a lot better. It feels great to repay the favor,” said Simms, who had only one at-bat in the regular season.

Game 1 was a sloppy affair in which the two teams combined for 12 errors and 11 earned runs. Game 2 turned into a wild, wacky offensive slugfest.

A series of defensive missteps and close plays cost PCA early in Game 2, but its bats came to life and left little doubt which team was better.

PCA cranked out 16 hits, including five home runs. Busby led the assault by going 4-for-4 with two homers, a double, and five RBIs. He also had four strikeouts in two innings of scoreless relief.

Mixon went 2-for-3 with a triple, homer and two RBIs, and Moose Carney homered, singled and knocked in three runs. In all, eight of PCA’s nine starters had at least one hit. Only center fielder Brady Towne was left out, but he walked twice and scored three runs.

&#8220We really swung the bats well tonight,” PCA coach Randy Wright said. &#8220That’s the type of intensity I hoped to see all season long.”

Benton rallied from an early 3-0 deficit with an unearned run in the second inning and a pair of controversial plays in the third and fourth. Two close plays at the plate went Benton’s way, helping to tie the game at 4-4 in the top of the fourth. Shane Abels then gave Benton its first lead since the first inning of Game 1 with an RBI double, putting the Raiders ahead 5-4.

It didn’t last long, though.

Dan Ivey and Matt Cranfield started the bottom of the fourth with base hits. An outfield error on Cranfield’s single allowed Ivey to score from first and tied the game at 5.

After Cranfield was caught between second and third on a fielder’s choice for the first out, Simms came to the plate. He launched a shot well beyond the right-center field fence for his first high school home run, putting the Eagles ahead 7-5.

The 5-foot-9 outfielder has played the field in most games this season, but is usually replaced in the lineup by a designated hitter. He was only in the lineup for this series because of an injury to starting catcher Spencer Pell, and was hit by a pitch in his only regular-season plate appearance.

After this, he may crack the lineup more often. He went 2-for-5 in the series, with three RBIs, a walk and a sacrifice bunt – all from the No. 9 spot in the order. He also drove in the eventual winning run in both games. In addition to his homer in Game 2, his sacrifice fly in the fourth inning of Game 1 put the Eagles ahead for good.

&#8220It’s great. It’s awesome. What can I say?” Simms said. &#8220All I could do was smile. My first home run, in what is the biggest game of our lives so far.”

The Eagles never looked back after Simms’ blast. Cole Smith followed with a single, then Busby hit a two-run homer over the center field wall. Mixon followed that up by crushing a 3-2 fastball over the left field fence to put PCA ahead 10-5.

Busby added another three-run shot in the fifth to extend the lead, and Smith’s two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning ended the game by the mercy rule.

&#8220We said they were due. We had been pitching pretty well until then, but they got a little motivation going,” Benton coach Terry King said. &#8220That’s what good teams do.”