It doesn’t seem to matter what type of pitching they’re facing right now, the Parklane Academy Pioneers are making some serious contact.
Parklane teed off against two Amite School Center pitchers during a 13-run first inning en route to a 13-1, four-inning victory over the Rebels on Wednesday night at Parklane Academy.
The Pioneers sent 19 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning that took 28 minutes and 60 pitches to complete.
“Our guys, they hit the ball really well,” Parklane manager Mike Clements said. “They’ve been doing a good job adjusting from slow pitching to fast pitching.”
The first seven Parklane batters reached base before Amite School Center manager Cole Holden made a pitching change.
With Amite School Center leading 1-0, leadoff walks to Ben Kavanay and Wes Gill opened the bottom of the first. Consecutive doubles by Austin Terrell and Chance Schmidt put the Pioneers (6-3) ahead 3-1. Shelby Johnson followed with a single to left that made it 4-1.
Zach Smith singled and Brandon walked to load the bases.
Following the Rebels’ pitching change, another walk to Alex Price forced in Johnson, and Jordan Taylor was hit by a pitch to bring home Smith to extend the lead to 6-1.
Kavanay followed with a double high off the left-field wall that scored Austin and Price to make it 8-1. Gill then laced a triple down the right-field line to plate Taylor and Kavanay for a 10-1 advantage.
Gill scored on Terrell’s triple to right-center field to make it 11-1.
One out later, Johnson capped the frame by blasting an 0-1 delivery over the left-center field fence for a two-run shot that ballooned the lead to 13-1.
Smith, Austin and Price each singled later in the inning, but all three were left stranded on base.
“Every day, I harp on these guys about making adjustments,” Clements said. “A good team can make adjustments on hitting, pitching and fielding.”
“Parklane Academy’s got a good baseball team,” Amite School Center manager Cory Holden said. “They swing the bats well. Thirteen runs on 12 hits in four innings speaks for itself.”
Parklane pitcher Jarred Bullock cooled down an Amite School Center team that entered the game hitting a combined .408.
Bullock surrendered a first-inning run, then settled in to finish with a five-hitter to earn the win. The right-hander walked one and struck out six.
The Rebels (0-9) took the lead in the top of the first on Austin Sullivan’s leadoff single, a sacrifice bunt by Brandon Hood and Seth James’ two-out, line-drive single to center.
After the Pioneers’ first-inning explosion, Clements elected to sit his starters and allow his reserves some playing time. Ken Wicker had a two-out double to deep center field in the second inning and Jared Chandler a one-out double to the right-center field gap in the third, but neither scored.
Amite School Center will return to the field Friday at Bowling Green.
Parklane will be in action again Monday when they travel to Vicksburg and face Porter’s Chapel Academy.
