Porters Chapel coach Randy Wright paused from his postgame meeting with his team and made them watch Benton Academy celebrate on the other side of the field.

“They needed to see that,” said Wright, whose team lost to Benton 10-8 in the opening game of the Academy-A second-round playoff series Monday night. “(Benton) came down here and whipped us. We did not do the things it took to win this ballgame.”

The Eagles will attempt to keep their season alive tonight, weather permitting, in the second game of the best-of-three series at Benton. If a third game is necessary, it will be Thursday at PCA.

“Everyone’s down right now,” said PCA’s Michael Busby, who hit a pair of home runs and had five RBIs. “We made mistakes tonight that we haven’t made all year.”

Benton (16-5) scored seven runs in a disastrous fourth inning that saw the Raiders rip five hits, take advantage of an error and draw a pair of walks from losing pitcher Hayden Hales.

The inning also put a major roadblock in front of PCA, which is already short on pitching. With Busby not pitching because of a sore elbow, Wright was forced to bring in Matt Cranfield in relief. Cranfield was supposed to be tonight’s starter.

“We plan on starting Johnny Wholestaff tonight and see what this team is made of,” Wright said.

Hales, who struggled with his control all night, pitched 3 1/3 innings and walked five. He also was hurt by four PCA errors.

The Eagles led 6-2 after the third inning. PCA scored five runs in the third, highlighted by a three-run homer by Busby. The outburst chased Benton starter Austin Berry.

“We are young at pitcher and I don’t lose but one,” said veteran coach Terry King, who is in his first season at Benton. “I am pitcher-deep.”

The Raiders took a 9-6 lead after the fourth and managed only an unearned run off of Cranfield in the fifth inning.

Porters Chapel scored one in the fifth on a Chris Mixon RBI triple and added one in the sixth on Busby’s second home run, a solo shot into the teeth of a 20 mph wind.

In the seventh, Dan Ivey hit a one-out single and pinch-runner Spencer Pell advanced to third when Mixon reached on an error. Mixon stole second to give PCA two runners in scoring position with one out.

Bloom, though, struck out Brady Towne and coaxed a pop-up by Dean Hill for the third out.

For the game, the Eagles (20-6) stranded five runners – four in scoring position. Mixon was stranded at third base three times.

“I don’t know how many we left on tonight,” Wright said. “But we certainly didn’t play Eagle baseball.”

Judd Mims singled and doubled for PCA, while Ivey and Mixon each had two hits.

Berry went 3-for-3 and Stuart Morgan had a pair of hits and an RBI. The Raiders had nine total hits.

Benton saved ace pitcher Morgan for tonight’s game. He pitched a no-hitter in a playoff win over Central Holmes last week.

“I have the utmost respect for Porters Chapel and coach Wright. I know what kind of program he has,” King said. “What we are trying to do is build a program and get to the same level they are. Maybe this is a stepping stone. It all depends on how my kids handle this win.”