Blue Devils beat West Harrison 7-4 to sweep series

Pearl River Central got another solid pitching performance from Austin Dean in beating West Harrison 7-4 and sweeping their second round Class 5A playoff series at the PRC Sports Complex on Saturday.

As they did on Friday in Game 1, West Harrison scored in their first at bat. Kasey Donaldson’s RBI double scored Tate Parker who started the game with a single.

The Blue Devils responded in the bottom of the inning chasing Hurricane starting pitcher Hunter Hammertree by scoring two runs and loading the bases before he was replaced by Donaldson. Zach Roussell and Mason Treat greeted Donaldson with back to back RBI singles to make it 4-1 before the inning was over.

PRC added two runs in the second on Eli Lee’s RBI single and a fielder’s choice off the bat of Caleb Tynes to lead 6-1.

In the third, West Harrison (16-13) cut the lead to 6-3 on an RBI double from Donaldson that plated Parker, who tripled to start the inning. The other run came on an RBI single by Nathan Van Norman that scored Donaldson.

PRC starter Austin Dean pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the fourth and faced just four batters in the fifth. In the sixth, West Harrison scored a run when Dean walked in a run with two outs. Blake Craft came on in relief and got a strikeout against Van Norman to end the frame.

The Blue Devils got the run back in the bottom of the inning when Caleb Tynes singled with two outs, moved to second when Roussell walked, stole third base, and scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-4.

Kraft got the first out in the seventh on a strike out. Pinch hitter Brennan Jones drove a pitch to deep right field down the line that Tynes raced down for the second out just as he came within a step from the wall. Kraft got the last out on a fly ball in foul territory that Austen Izzio caught to end the game.

PRC (22-6) will play West Jones (25-2) in the next round with Game 1 set for West Jones on Thursday. Game 2 will be in Carriere on Friday. Game 3, if necessary, will be at West Jones.

WRJW 1320 AM radio and wrjwradio.com will broadcast the complete series.