JOURNAL SPORTS
Benton overcame a slow start to snag a fifth-inning lead Thursday night in the opener of a three-game Non-Select Division I quarterfinal series against visiting Sulphur, but the Tigers’ miscues opened the door for the Golden Tors to answer in a decisive way.
Benton made three errors in a six-run sixth inning by 20th-seeded Sulphur, which held on to the 10-4 margin to surprise the No. 3-seeded Tigers (33-4).
The teams play the second game of the best of three series this evening at 7. If Benton wins, a state semifinal berth will be settled by the outcome of a noon contest Saturday. The Tigers are trying to reach the semis for a second straight season.
Benton committed six errors, including one in the top of the first that got the visitors off to a fast start.
Sulphur (21-18), which won a regional round series 2-0 at Haughton last weekend with a pair of two-run triumphs, jumped on top 3-0 when Carter Wilson rapped a two-run single after the error allowed the Tors to get on the board.
A sacrifice fly in the third inning upped the margin to 4-0, but Benton bounced back in the bottom of the fifth. Cole Snell cracked a bases-loaded triple and scored on a three-bagger from Jackson Jones that tied the contest.
Sulphur responded after getting baserunners on consecutive errors to open the top of the sixth. Back-to-back bunt singles moved Sulphur up 5-4, and the visitors strung together five straight hits to break open the game.
Only two of Sulphur’s 10 runs were earned.
Benton managed only four hits, two from left fielder Hayden Millen along with the triples by Snell and Jones.