CLINTON — Porters Chapel Academy was supposed to play a non-district game Monday, so coach Wade Patrick figured he’d give little-used pitcher Wade Dickard some time on the mound.

When the original game was replaced with the makeup of a rainout with District 5-AA opponent Clinton Christian, Patrick decided to give Dickard the ball anyway.

It paid off.

In only his second varsity start of the season, Dickard allowed two hits and struck out seven in 5 1/3 shutout innings to lead Porters Chapel to a 3-0 victory over Clinton Christian.

“I just threw some curves and got some strikes. I took my time and got some strikes,” Dickard said. “I settled down when I didn’t do as good and kept hammering.”

With the win, PCA remained at the front of the pack in District 5-AA.

The Eagles (7-6-1, 3-1 District 5-AA) will play Wilkinson County Christian twice this week, and also have district series left with Trinity and Benton Academy before the regular season wraps up April 22.

“We’re sitting pretty good, but we’ve got Wilkinson this week and I don’t know a whole lot about them,” Patrick said. “We’ve got to worry about us, and control us. We have to play as mistake-free as we can. If we play well enough, we’ll get into the playoffs.”

PCA beat Clinton Christian 13-0 last week, but had a much tougher time in the rematch.

Clinton Christian pitcher Zach Bauman worked out of two bases-loaded jams with minimal damage in the first two innings, and two of PCA’s three runs were unearned.

Bailey McMillian had an RBI single for PCA in the first inning. Leon Simms scored twice, on a passed ball in the fifth inning and on an error in the seventh.

Simms finished the game 2-for-3 with two doubles. McMillian was 2-for-4.

“They made plays. Pitching and defense. Their guy threw strikes,” Patrick said. “Games like that happen. But like I told them, you won. That’s what I’m most proud of, is to get that ‘W,’ especially in the conference.”

Dickard had a lot to do with that. He gave up a single to Bauman in the first inning and another to Darius Scott in the sixth, as well as four walks, but never got into serious trouble.

Patrick pulled Dickard after Scott’s hit in the sixth.

Garrett Hutchins struck out three batters in the last 1 2/3 innings to earn the save.

“(Dickard) was around 80 pitches and he was getting tired,” Patrick said. “He had done too good to let him falter at the end.”

 

Neshoba Central 14,

Vicksburg 0

Cody Singleton went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs scored, Beck Williams doubled and drove in three runs, and Neshoba Central (8-6, 4-2 Division 4-5A) beat Vicksburg (2-15, 1-4) Monday at Bazinsky Field.

Singleton also pitched for the Rockets and threw a three-hit shutout. He walked one and struck out 17.

Gage Ederington, DeWayne Sims and Branden Humphrey all had singles for Vicksburg’s hits. The Gators were shut out for the seventh time this season.