BROOKHAVEN — Will the real Parklane Academy Pioneers please stand up?
The Pioneers pounded out 14 hits in a 20-9, five-inning victory over Hillcrest Academy on Thursday evening, then were held to one hit later in the evening and blanked by host Brookhaven Academy 10-0 in five innings in the three-team twinbill.
Hunter Authement drove in five runs, and four other Pioneers drove in two runs apiece as Parklane Academy (5-3) routed Hillcrest.
The tables, however, were turned on Parklane in the nightcap. The Pioneers were limited to a second-inning single by Zach Smith, who was quickly caught trying to steal second base as the Pioneers were shut out by the Cougars.
“It was a lack of focus, a lack of energy,” Parklane head coach Mike Clements said of his team’s Game 2 performance.
“It’s real easy to get complacent after an easy game,” Clements added. “We went out flat and overconfident in the second game. The guys probably felt like after we played as good as we did in the first game, we didn’t have to focus.”
Against Hillcrest, the Pioneers looked to be a good bet for the doubleheader sweep. Parklane scored in every inning and broke a 7-7 tie with five-run third and fourth innings.
Hunter Aultman capped Parklane’s third-inning outburst with a two-run single that scored Nathan Taylor, who singled, and Smith, who walked, to put the Pioneers ahead 12-7. Nathan Taylor chipped in an RBI single. Authement also drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk. Justin Brent walked and scored on a Hillcrest throwing error to break the tie and give Parklane the lead for good.
Parklane built its lead to 17-7 with five more runs in the fourth. The frame was highlighted by Jordan Taylor’s bloop single to right-center field that plated Brent and pinch hitter Walt Aldridge. Brandon Austin legged out a bunt single and later scored on a wild pitch. Nathan Taylor’s double off the right-center field wall brought home Jordan Taylor. Authement added a sacrifice fly to plate Nathan Taylor to give the Pioneers their 10-run lead.
Hillcrest tallied a run in the bottom of the fourth, but Parklane scored three times in the top of the fifth, highlighted by Austin’s towering two-run home run to left-center. The blast also scored David Rowell, who singled to lead off the frame.
After Austin’s round-tripper, Jordan Taylor was hit by a pitch, went to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on Nathan Taylor’s single to left off shortstop Trent Driver’s glove and scored on a Rowell fielder’s choice.
Clements said he couldn’t remember the last time the Pioneers scored 20 runs in a game.
“We’ve been spending a lot of time working on our hitting and our approach to hitting,” he said. “We’ve been doing a better job at getting the bat on the ball.
“We’ve been missing too many fastballs. We haven’t been aggressive enough,” Clements added. “A lot of guys are stepping forward and starting to show some leadership now.”
Jordan Taylor started on the mound for Parklane and earned the win. He worked 31/3 innings, gave up eight runs — three earned — on six hits. He walked four and struck out three.
Authement pitched the final 12/3 innings and gave up a run on one hit and struck out two batters.
After the Pioneers seemingly found their hitting stroke in the opener, things quickly went south for Parklane in the second game.
Brookhaven Academy broke open a close game when Hunter Franklin’s grand-slam home run capped a five-run second inning that sent the Cougars to a 6-0 lead.
Franklin struck again in the fourth, this time with a two-run single to the right-center field gap to score Bubba Keene and Hunter McCullough and extend the Cougars’ lead to 8-0.
Brookhaven got the game halted via the 10-run mercy rule with two more runs in the fifth, capped by Franklin’s RBI single to center that plated Will Lucas for the final tally.
Nathan Taylor took the mound loss for Parklane. He was touched for six runs on three hits. He walked three, struck out five and hit two batters.
Josh King pitched the final 12/3 innings for the Pioneers. He gave up four runs on four hits, walked two and hit a batter.
Parklane will host its Spring Break Tournament beginning Monday. The Pioneers will open their tournament play Wednesday at 5 against Simpson Academy, then again at 7 against Brookhaven Academy.
Clements said he looks forward to the rematch against the Cougars.
“I’ll be very interested to see how we bounce back after this game,” he said.
