The Benton Tigers edged the Airline Vikings 5-3 in the first of the their two-game District 1-5A series Tuesday at Benton.
In other 1-5A games, Haughton swept Huntington 17-0 and 19-0 at Haughton and Parkway fell to Natchitoches Central 2-1 in eight innings in Natchitoches.
Benton (28-2, 13-0) can clinch at least a share of the district championship with a victory Wednesday at Airline. Haughton (24-6, 12-2) is in second place followed by Natchitoches Central (21-6, 10-3) and Airline (17-11, 9-4).
At Benton, the Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. The Vikings scored one in the third and tied it with one in fifth. Benton answered with three in the top of the fifth.
Benton’s Case Jorden went 2-for-3 with a double. Hayden Millen went 2-for-3.
Cole Snell’s RBI-triple scored the go-ahead run with no outs in the sixth. Kade Bryant’s single brought home Snell. After Jackson Jones singled, Bryant stole home for the final run.
Benton starter Thomas Allen went three innings. He allowed one hit, struck out four and walked one. Bryant and Jax Prewitt pitched two innings each.
Airline’s Max Fisher had a double. Silas Endris turned in a strong performance on the mound. He allowed five hits with two strikeouts and no walks in six innings.
At Haughton, the first game went two innings and the second three.
JP Cormier went 2-for-2 with three RBI in the first game. Christian Turner had a triple and two RBI. Seth Jorstad had two RBI. Trent McGowen got the win.
Landon Rolland went 2-for-2 with two RBI in the second game. Seth Breen went 2-for-2.
Haughton visits Airline Thursday at 6 in the first game of the teams’ final district series.
At Parkway, Maddox Cockerham’s home run with no outs in the top of the seventh tied the game at 1. Natchitoches Central scored the winning run on an error with one out in the bottom of the eighth.
The game featured two outstanding pitching performances. Parkway’s Gabe Armond wet the distance. He allowed four hits and one earned run with seven strikeouts and three walks.
Natchitoches Central starter Adam Guillet went 6 2/3 innings. He allowed two hits, struck out seven and walked one.
Parkway (10-15, 5-8) hosts Byrd Thursday at 6.