Benton Academy kicked off their baseball season with a 7-3 win over Deer Creek School on Friday night.
The scoring began in the bottom of the first inning when Cody Prescott led things off with a single to left field. After a nifty steal and a pair of sacrifice groundouts, the Raiders took a 1-0 lead.
Tolar Purvis then reached base due to an error before scoring on a Dearman RBI single to make it a 2-0 game.
Deer Creek threatened in the top of the second when back-to-back batters walked, but a pair of strikeouts by Ables and a groundout got them out of the inning.
In the top of the third inning, the walks finally hurt the Raiders. The extra baserunners were brought home on a bases-loaded walk then an RBI single to tie things up at 2-2.
But the Raiders rallied quickly. In the bottom of the inning, Ables and Purvis were able to score on errors before Saxton brought Middleton home on an RBI single to regain a 5-2 lead heading into the fourth inning.
Deer Creek scored another run in the top of the fourth inning, but Benton was back at it in the fifth inning.
A barrage of singles allowed Saxton to bring home Middleton once again before a Prescott single allowed Boggan to score, making it a 7-3 game.
The Warriors fought to cut the lead further, but they were unsuccessful.
Benton took the game 7-3.
Cole Ables was the winning pitcher for the Raiders, striking out seven batters through four innings.
J.B. Middleton finished out the final three innings, striking out six in the process.
The Raiders will try to go 2-0 when they host Porter’s Chapel Academy on Monday.
The first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
