Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

In a clash between a pair of Top 10 teams in Class 2A, the No. 10-ranked Pike Liberal Arts Patriots went 1-1 against the No. 1-ranked Bayshore Christian Eagles in the second round of the 2A State Playoffs in Troy on April 28.

Pike held on for a 9-6 win in the first game and lost the second by a score of 11-9.

In game one, Pike Lib was able to hold off a late rally from Bayshore to win 9-4 and take a 1-0 lead in the series. After PLAS went up 1-0 in the first inning, the Patriots scored four runs in the second to extend the lead to 5-0. Bayshore cut the lead to 5-2 in the fourth inning but in the fifth, Pike’s KC Bradford drilled a grand slam home run to stretch the lead to 9-2.

In the seventh, the Eagles managed to rally and score four runs to cut the lead to 9-6 with just one out, but Cole Garrott, Bradford and Payne Jefcoat combined for a double play to put the game away.

Bradford had a big game at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a grand slam home run, four RBIs and three runs. John Lott also went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, while Jefcoat went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and one run. Kade Brookins and Jackson Booth both scored two runs each.

Luke Barron got the win on the mound, pitching six innings and giving up just three hits and one earned run with one strikeout. Kilcrease got the save and gave up two hits and no earned runs in 2/3 of an inning pitched. Garrott and Bradford both earned two double plays on defense.

In game two, it looked like Bayshore was going to run away with the game until PLAS rallied. The Eagles came out hot, scoring seven runs in the opening inning, and leading 8-0 going into the third. The Patriots then began to chip away at the lead. In the top of the third, KC Bradford drove Barron home to get Pike Lib on the scoreboard.

Jefcoat kicked off the fourth inning with a solo home run that cut Bayshore’s lead to 8-2 and then Dawson Bradford scored on an error to cut the lead to 8-3. KC Bradford’s RBI single drove Barron and Rhodes Baker home later in the inning to cut the lead to 8-5.

In the top of the fifth inning, Garrott hit an RBI double into center field to drive Lott home and then Garrott scored on an error to bring Pike within one run. KC Bradford singled into right to drive Barron home to tie the score 8-8 going into the bottom of the inning. Bayshore scored three runs of it sown in the bottom of the fifth to retake the lead 11-8.

In the top of the sixth, Lott scored on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 11-9 but that was as close as the Patriots would get as the Eagles held Pike scoreless in the rest of the inning and in the seventh.

KC Bradford went 3-for-4 at the plate with four RBIs, while Lott went 3-for-4 with two runs. Barron also went 2-for-4 with three runs. Garrott also went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Garrott pitched four and 1/3 innings and gave up five hits and three earned runs. KC Bradford pitched one and 1/3 innings with two strikeouts, while giving up one hit and no runs.

Pike and Bayshore will play in the series-deciding matchup on April 29 at Butch Austin Field in Troy at 1 p.m.