It looked to be anyone’s game between Porters Chapel and Wilkinson County Christian Academy on a breezy Friday evening.

However, a midgame surge and a series of defensive mistakes by PCA led to an 8-0 victory for the visiting Rams. PCA committed eight errors, five of which led directly to runs.

“Make five errors, you just can’t do it,” PCA coach Wade Patrick said. “We pitched well enough to win, but we didn’t hit or field well enough to win and you got to do all three.”

The Eagles and Rams held each other scoreless through the first three innings. But the Rams’ Hutch Holden swung the momentum in his team’s favor in the fourth inning.

Holden hit a ball deep into left field at Leon Simms, who misplayed it. Simms launched it back toward home plate, but throw was not in time to throw out Austin Hendry and the Rams had the game’s first run. Holden later scored on a hit by Hunter Burgess to make it 2-0.

“They put the bat on the ball and found holes. We made one error that gave them two runs. The way their guy was pitching was enough tonight because we didn’t hit the ball well enough,” Patrick said. “We just got to keep fighting and working. Hopefully we can get better.”

Porters Chapel gave up two more runs in the fifth inning off of two RBIs from Holden and a wild pitch that increased the margin to 5-0.

PCA’s Bailey McMillian pitched a complete game, struck out six batters and walked one, but also threw two wild pitches. Only two of the eight runs he allowed were earned.

“Bailey pitched well enough to win but we didn’t do enough to help him out,” Patrick said. “Didn’t hit the ball, we had two hits all night and that just doesn’t win many ball games.”

Offensively, PCA only had two hits — a single by Brayden Ray in the second inning and another single by McMillian in the seventh. Patrick chalked up his team’s less-than-stellar hitting performance to “high school ball.”

“It happens, they’re kids and sometimes you make one error and it leads to another to another,” Patrick said. “We just couldn’t stop the bleeding so to say. When you don’t, the outcome is the way it is tonight.”

 

WC 12, Greenville 3

D.J. Lewis went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored, and Warren Central (15-5, 8-0 Division 4-6A) routed Greenville for its fourth win in five games.

Conner Wilkinson was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored, and Brooks Boolos had two hits and scored twice for the Vikings, who scored in each of the first five innings.

Pitchers Farmer Abendroth, Austin Willis and Logan Stewart combined on a four-hitter. They allowed three runs, all unearned, struck out four and walked seven.

Abendroth pitched the first three innings and left with a no-decision, while Stewart pitched the last 3 2/3 and was credited with the win.

Warren Central will host Madison Central Saturday at noon in a matchup of two of the top teams in Class 6A.