Porters Chapel Academy played a district doubleheader on Saturday. It’ll play another today. Those are must-win games. The one Monday against Central Hinds was not, and the Eagles approached it that way.

PCA managed only one hit against Central Hinds pitcher Wesley Grantham, and was soundly beaten by the Cougars for the second time in two weeks, 10-0.

Because of the busy schedule, PCA coach Wade Patrick either used his best pitchers on Saturday or was saving them for today. He went with three inexperienced arms who gave up a total of nine earned runs and five walks before the game ended by the mercy rule after 4 2/3 innings.

“I don’t care if we’re playing the Yankees, you’re going to have to use some younger guys because you have to win those district games,” said Patrick, whose team hosts Veritas today at 4 p.m. “We’ve got to build for the future, too, and you’ve got to see those guys against live action at some point. This game wasn’t about winning and losing.”

While PCA’s pitchers were shelled, its hitters were shackled by Grantham. The hard-throwing junior left-hander retired the first 11 batters he faced before Josh Daffron broke up the perfect game with a single in the fourth inning.

Grantham struck out Hunter Lyons to end the inning, then gave way to reliever Wesley Skinner for the fifth. Grantham struck out nine and walked none during his stint on the mound.

“Of course we want to win, but we use these games to see good pitching. We saw that tonight. He was throwing 85 to 87 from the left side, and you’re not going to see that every day at our level,” Patrick said.

Peyton Banes led Central Hinds’ offense by going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Hunter Harvey was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored, and Tanner Leggett was 2-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Banes’ RBI double in the first inning helped the Cougars jump out to a 3-0 lead. They added three more in the second inning and two more in the third to take firm control. The final run came when Banes was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the fifth.

“Tonight we just didn’t hit and didn’t make enough plays behind our pitchers to help them out,” Patrick said.