For the first time this postseason, Porter’s Chapel Academy’s baseball team is facing elimination.

J.B. Middleton and Nathan Wilson combined on a no-hitter, and Colton Ellis went 3-for-4 with four RBIs as Benton Academy beat PCA 5-0 in Game 1 of their MAIS Class 3A playoff series on Monday.

Porter’s Chapel (16-7) had swept its first two series, and now will need to sweep a doubleheader Thursday at Benton Academy in Yazoo City. If PCA wins Game 2, Game 3 will follow immediately afterward.

Benton Academy (19-6), the MAIS District 3-3A champion, also beat PCA twice in the regular season.

PCA had won three consecutive one-run games in the playoffs, but never got going against Middleton. He retired the first nine batters he faced before hitting Gage Palmer with a pitch leading off the fourth inning.

Middleton went on to walk five batters, but did not allow a hit in 6 2/3 innings. He left after walking Lawson Selby with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, and Wilson got Palmer to fly out to left for the final out.
Middleton finished with 11 strikeouts.

Ellis had three singles that all brought in runs. His hits in the first and fifth inning plated one run apiece, and another in the sixth brought home two more.

The Raiders’ final run came across on a single by Hayes Davis in the seventh inning.

Palmer pitched 5 2/3 innings for PCA and allowed four runs — only won earned — on five hits and one walk. He had six strikeouts. The Eagles committed four errors behind him — including three in the last three innings — that led to three runs.