Late attack

PINE PRAIRIE -- Showing tremendous patience at the plate, the Pine Prairie Panthers scored all of their runs after the third inning, as they dropped district and parish rival Mamou 5-1 Thursday afternoon.
Pine Prairie improves to 10-10 on the season and 4-1 in district play. The Panthers face the Eunice Bobcats on the road Tuesday.
With the loss, Mamou falls to 5-11 on the year and 1-4 in league games. The Demons travel to Sacred Heart tomorrow for a non-district contest.
The game started very slowly for both clubs at the plate. Starting Panther hurler Jordan Ardoin retired the Demons in order in the top of the first. Demon starting pitcher Tanner Atchinson countered Ardoin by sending Pine Prairie up and down in order in the bottom half of the inning.
Mamou found some life on offense in the top of the second when Atchinson and Zac Morein singled to lead off the inning. However, Ardoin induced a ground ball and then struck out the next two Demon hitters to get out of the jam.
Joel Franks walked to start the bottom of the second for the Panthers. Two ground balls later, Franks sat a third base. A strike out by Athchinson ended the Pine Prairie threat.
Another 1-2-3 inning greeted Mamou in the top of the third. The Panthers came close to putting up the first runs of the game in the bottom of the inning when they loaded the bases. Atchinson got out of the inning by forcing a ground ball to second base.
The Demons stranded a runner at second base in the top of the fourth, allowing Pine Prairie the opportunity to put up the first runs of the game in the bottom of the inning.
Nick Ortego reached first base by drawing a lead off walk, but was put out at second base on a fielder’s choice off of the bat of Nick Ortego. After stealing second base, Strother moved to third when Peyton Ledoux reached on an error.
Nathan Bordelon was hit by a pitch, loading the bases with one out. Tyler Fell laid down the perfect sacrifice bunt down the third base line, plating Strother and giving the Panthers the 1-0 lead. Atchinson got out of the inning on a fly ball to center field.
Following another non-productive inning at the plate from Mamou, Pine Prairie collected two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to stretch their lead to 3-0.
Kyler Carson reached on a lead off single to left field. Franks smashed a ball to left center field allowing Carson to try for home plate. The relay throw from the outfield was on target, as Carson was seemingly out trying to score. But, an overturned call by the base umpire made Carson safe and gave the Panthers another run on the board.
Ortego reached first on an error that also plated Franks for the second run.
The Demons finally got on the board in the top of the sixth inning. With one out Landon Deshotels singled and stole second base.
Following a fly out to center field, Deshotels reached third on a passed ball. Atchinson got Deshotels home on a two out single to right-center field. Unfortunately, Mamou was unable to produce any more runs in that at bat.
Pine Prairie put the icing on the cake in the bottom of the sixth, picking up two more runs. With one out, JJ Sims doubled to the gap in left-center field.
Ardoin singled to center field, plating Sims. During the throw in from the outfield, Ardoin moved up to second base.
Carson doubled home Ardoin to give the Panthers a 5-1 advantage. The Demons were able to shut down Pine Prairie after that barrage, but could not recover any of the runs in their final at bat of the game.
Sims, Ardoin and Carson all collected two hits apiece to lead the Panthers offensively. Ardoin went the distance, giving up one run on five hits while striking out eight.
Atchinson went 2 for 3 to lead the Demons. He also pitched a complete game on the mound, striking out five and walking four.