Franklinton jumped out to a 5-0 lead and never looked back in a 6-2 victory over Lutcher in the bi-district round of the Class 4A state playoffs on the road Tuesday.
The 22nd-seeded Demons led 2-0 after three innings and 5-0 through four. No. 11 Lutcher scored a run in the fifth, with Franklinton responding with a run in the sixth. Lutcher tallied once in the seventh to trim the lead to 6-2, but could get no closer in the Demons’ win.
It was Franklinton’s first win in just over a month, spanning 10 games. Six of the losses were by three runs or fewer.
“I’ve tried to reinitiate to the kids that they are a good team and that if we can play a complete game, we make a run and do some things. We finally put it all together and played a complete game,” Franklinton coach Jeff Tageant said.
Landon Keller doubled, scored a run and drove one home.
Richard Berry singled and recorded two RBIs.
Jordan McKenzie singled and scored a run.
Jalen Burkhalter drove in two runs, while Jared Jenkins had one RBI.
Nate Bracey had two runs scored, while Hunter Blackwell and A.J. Magee tallied a run scored each.
Garrett Maxwell threw 6-2/3 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
Bracey wrapped it up with a perfect third of an inning.
Franklinton began a best-of-three series against sixth-seeded Pearl River on Friday. Game 2 is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, and Game 3 if necessary will be at 4 p.m. All games are at Pearl River.
Pearl River defeated No. 27 Warren Easton, 10-1, in the bi-district round.