[04/17/02]Before the season, there were questions about whether Porters Chapel Academy’s pitching would be strong enough to get it back to the Academy-A playoffs.

Not anymore.

Andrew Embry struck out 15 and allowed only two hits and two walks in a complete-game shutout as PCA clinched its fourth straight trip to the playoffs with a 2-0 win over Franklin Tuesday.

Josh Rush went 2-for-2 with a solo home run and Humphrey Barlow added an RBI single for the Eagles (17-5, 7-0 Conference 7-A).

PCA can clinch its second straight conference crown and a first-round bye in the playoffs if Franklin beats Tallulah on Thursday, or by beating Tallulah on Friday.

“A lot of people thought we weren’t going to be able to make it this year because we’re young, so now we’ve got to prove people wrong,” said Embry, a junior left-hander who ran his streak of scoreless innings to 19.

Franklin’s Tyler Harris pitched well enough to win, but the Cougars failed to give him any run support again. Harris, who scattered four hits and walked three in seven innings, had a 1.63 ERA entering Tuesday’s game but only a 4-5 record. Franklin (8-7, 4-3), which can still clinch a playoff berth with two Tallulah losses, has lost five games by one run this season.

Against PCA, shortstop Chris Brister’s two singles was the only offense Franklin could muster.

“He’s had some tough breaks,” Franklin coach Ryan Ellington said. “If you don’t score runs, you can’t win the ballgame. The pitcher did his job.”

One of Harris’ few mistakes gave PCA an early lead, however. He put a fastball over the plate with his first pitch of the second inning, and Rush crushed it over the left-field fence for his first home run this season and a 1-0 lead.

“They told me to look for the first pitch, and it was a belt-high fastball, right down the middle,” Rush said. “I don’t know how many I’ve hit foul, and I finally got one to go fair.”

Chase Towne reached on an error and scored on Barlow’s RBI single in the third inning, but the one run was enough for Embry.

“When Josh hit that home run, (Embry) looked me dead in the eye and said, that’s all I need coach,’ ” PCA coach Randy Wright said. “As a coach, it’s a great feeling to have a kid with that much confidence on the mound.”

Embry got out of his only jam in the seventh inning. Brister led off with a single, Brett Walley followed with a walk and catcher Drew Wiggins laid down a sacrifice bunt with two strikes on him to put the tying run in scoring position with one out.

Embry buckled down, however, striking out the last two batters to end the game.

“I was just trying to overthrow it,” Embry said of his late troubles. “I was locating my pitches well, and when they put the ball in play, my defense made plays, so I wasn’t worried.”

The effort put the Eagles back in the playoffs, but Wright said the PCA program isn’t quite where he wants it to be yet.

“It’s getting there,” he said. “Our goal every year is to win a state championship. Until we get a state championship, our program won’t be where we want it.”