Matt Cranfield’s no-hitter streak finally ended Tuesday. Thanks to his typical dominating performance, though, Porters Chapel Academy took a big step toward continuing a different sort of streak.

Cranfield allowed only five hits — one in the first five innings — one walk, and struck out 12 as PCA beat Benton Academy 9-3. Cranfield also had a big day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Josh Hill went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, and Chris May had a double, RBI, and two runs scored.

The win puts PCA (6-6, 6-0) in sole possession of first place in District 5-A and in prime position to reach the playoffs for the 10th straight season. PCA still has six district games left but four are against Rebul and Veritas, two of the weaker teams in the district, and another against a University Christian team it run-ruled two weeks ago. PCA and Benton (6-7, 5-1), which is in second place, will play again Friday night at Benton.

“We can’t assume two wins against Veritas and two wins against Rebul. We could finish 6-6. It’s just a good, solid district win for us,” PCA coach Randy Wright said, trying to downplay the victory.

Despite Wright’s pleas, it’s become easy to assume a PCA victory when Cranfield takes the mound. The senior right-hander hadn’t given up a hit in three starts coming into Tuesday’s game — a string of 17 innings — and looked nearly unhittable for five innings against Benton.

Cranfield didn’t allow a ball out of the infield until Blake Bowman flied to right for the second out of the sixth inning. Ben Beckwith legged out an infield single in the second inning and reached on an error in the fifth to account for Benton’s only two baserunners in the early going.

“He’s got good placement and confidence, especially with his breaking pitches. He’s not afraid to throw his curveball on counts where you don’t normally throw a curveball,” Benton coach Brent Woods said. “He’s a full locomotive. You just try to outlast him. We waited a little too long to get started.”

Cranfield finally tired in the sixth, allowing two hits, a walk and his first run of the season. Benton added two more in the seventh as the first two batters reached base and eventually scored on an RBI groundout by Jordan Davis and an RBI single by Clark Jackson. In the last two innings, Cranfield allowed four hits, three runs, a walk and a hit batter. He also committed a balk. He chalked the sloppy finish up to a rising pitch count.

“I threw 115 pitches. It wore me out,” Cranfield said. “They were a scrappy team. They wanted to hit.”

By the time Cranfield tired, though, PCA was already cruising toward a victory. The Eagles scored two runs in the fourth on an RBI single by Gabby Hays, then blew it open with seven runs in the fifth.