Seth Allen went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and Pat Laird slugged a three-run home run as Prairie View pelted Franklin Academy 17-7 here Saturday afternoon.
Prairie View, which evened its record at 3-3 after an 0-3 start, did most of its damage in the bottom of the third. Trailing 3-2, the Spartans sent 14 batters to the box during an 11-run outburst, scoring 10 runs with two outs.
Robby Jones was hit by a pitch to start the inning. With one away, Allen scalded a game-tying RBI double just inside the left line.
After Collin Robinson walked, the Cougars recorded the second out on a popped up bunt.
Then the onslaught began.
Austin McDonald, the first in a line of eight straight Spartans to reach safely, singled Allen across with the go-ahead run. Robinson eventually scored on a wild pitch and Dylan Carroll walked, leaving runners at the corners.
Back to the top of the batting order, Laird unloaded a three-run home run over the left-center wall to put the Spartans up 9-3.
Allen’s RBI single and Trevor Wallace’s three-run double off the top of the left field wall pushed the margin to 14-3.
Caleb Kratzer’s two-run single in the fourth and Christopher Hassell’s RBI base hit in the fifth closed the gap to 13-6.
Prairie View got one of the runs back in the fifth when Robinson drew a one-out walk, swiped second and tallied as Austin McDonald singled off the third base bag.
Franklin added one more in the sixth.
With one down, Dustin Carroll doubled to left, Kratzer walked and Dustin Barefield poked an RBI single to right, slicing the deficit to 14-7.
Taking over for Wallace on the mound, Matt Smart retired the next two batters to avoid further damage. Ranging to his left, Jones made a nice play at shortstop to force Barefield at second base and Smith gathered in a fly ball to center field for out number three.
Prairie View plated three in the home half of the sixth to put the mercy rule into effect.
Five straight batters made their way aboard with one out.
Cooper singled to left, Jones walked and Smith was hit by a pitch for the second time in the contest to load the bases. Allen’s third straight RBI hit — a base hit to left — drove in Cooper; and Robinson walked to force Jones home. A couple of pitches later, Smith slid home head first on a wild pitch to make the verdict official.
Adam Walley’s two-run double to deep center field staked the Cougars to a 2-0 first-inning lead.
Prairie View tied the game by putting up single markers in the first and second without the benefit of a hit.
Franklin briefly reclaimed the lead, 3-2, on Ethan Vick’s sacrifice fly.
Allen produced a double and two singles to lead the Spartans at the plate, Laird homered and singled, McDonald went 2-for-3 and drove in a pair, Wallace doubled and Cooper singled.
Franklin out-hit the Spartans 10-9 as Walley doubled and singled, Taylor Gilley, Kratzer and Barefield stroked two singles, Dustin Carroll doubled and Hassell singled.
Wallace struck out seven and walked four in 5 2/3 innings for the win. Gilley, the first of three Franklin pitchers, was dealt the setback.
Starting a four-game road trip, the Spartans hook up with Tensas on Monday at 3 p.m. at St. Joseph.
Notes: Sixteen Spartans reached base without swinging the bat — 13 via walk and three hit batsmen. ... Jones was 0-for-1, while drawing three walks and taking a pitch for the team. He has now walked or been hit 14 times through the first six games. ... Robinson also finished the day 0-for-1 with four walks and three runs scored. ... Franklin’s first five batters were a collective 9-for-17, while the bottom four spots in the order went 1-for-11.
BASTROP —
