Top of the order sparks Powdersville to win over Berea

Powdersville followed the lead of the top two batters in its lineup Monday night to defeat Berea 6-3 at Fluor Field.

It was the first game of this week's "Just Drive" Invitational, a series of high school games in downtown Greenville Monday and Wednesday nights.

J.T. Rowlands and Keith Becknell combined to reach base on seven of eight plate appearances and scored two runs apiece to pace the Patriots' win.

"We challenged them to kind of set the tone for us," Powdersville coach Josh Smith said. "(They) got on and put a two-spot on the board early."

In the first, Rowlands walked and moved up on Becknell's double. One out later, Chase Barbary singled in both runners to give Powdersville (3-0) the early advantage.

Berea (3-3) bounced back with a run in the bottom of the first. Bulldogs starting pitcher Walker Knight helped himself by driving in Drew Evett, who had reached on a two-base error.

The teams swapped leads in the middle frames. Berea plated two runs in the third for a 3-2 edge. Blake Smith was hit by a pitch to start the inning. After Austin Vincent's sacrifice bunt, Evett singled to score Smith. Evett scored on Zach O'Malley's single.

Rowlands and Becknell, leading off again, both scored in the fifth to put the Patriots back in front. Rowlands walked and went to third on Becknell's single. A balk brought Rowlands home, and a single by Blake Jeter scored Becknell.

Starting Patriots pitcher Nathan Fitzsimmons went four innings and gave up three runs. Hunter Brown shut out the Bulldogs over the final three innings.

"(Hunter) brought his game," said Smith. "He's the reason we were able to walk away with the win tonight."

Powdersville scored twice in the sixth without a hit to pad its lead to 6-3. Three Berea pitchers combined to walk five batters in the inning.

"We've got to stop walking people," said Berea coach Johnny Garrett. "We're shooting ourselves in the foot."