PINE PRAIRIE -- The Pine Prairie Panthers kept themselves in district title contention with a split of league games on Saturday and Tuesday afternoon.
On Saturday, the Panthers found themselves down 6-1 after four innings of play, but was able to rally past the Mamou Demons and pick up a huge 7-6 win.
Tuesday, Pine Prairie made a valiant comeback attempt but fell just short of picking up a second win in a row with a 6-4 loss to district leader Eunice High.
With the split, the Panthers are now 14-8 on the year and most importantly are 4-3 in league play, just three games out of first place with half of the district schedule left to play. Pine Prairie will travel to Eunice today for a re-match with the Bobcats. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Against Mamou the Panthers found themselves in a 5-0 hole after three innings of play. The Demons led things off in the top of the third with a walk being issued to Tanner Atchinson. A bunt for a base hit off of the bat of Kayden Serie, put runners at first and second.
Another sacrifice bunt, this time from Daylon Ardoin, moved up Atchinson and Serie. Amarion Watson singled home both Atchinson and Serie.
After stealing a base, Watson reached third on single from Blake Boone. A double by Zack Morein plated Boone. Hunter Lavergne then blasted a two run homer over the left-center field wall.
The Demons would add another run in the top of the fourth to go up 6-0. The Panthers answered with a solo run in the bottom half of the inning when JJ Sims reached on an error and scored on a single by Nathan Bordelon.
After a scoreless fifth inning, Pine Prairie came charging back in their final two at bats. The Panthers came away with three huge runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Bordelon walked and reached third on a double by Kyler Carson. A single by Nick Ortego plated Bordelon and moved Carson to third. A double play on the next at bat scored Carson.
Cole Thomas followed with a single and reached second on a passed ball. Joel Franks plated Thomas on a single of his own.
The final two runs of the game were scored in the bottom of the seventh, when both BJ Ardoin and Gavin Woodham came home on balks.
Against Eunice, the Panthers were able to put up the first point of the game when Carson reached on an error, got to second on a sacrifice bunt by Nick Ortego and scored on a double off of the bat of Franks.
The Bobcats went up 2-1 in the top of the third inning and doubled their score by plating two more runs in their very next at bat. Eunice added a solo run in the top of the sixth to increase the lead to 5-1.
However, Pine Prairie did not go away easily. The Panthers picked up three more runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning to cut the lead down to 5-4. Franks, Thomas and Sims all scored in that at bat.
Eunice tacked on the final run of the game in the top of the seventh inning and was able to hold onto the lead, shutting down Pine Prairie in their final at bat.
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TRACEY JAGNEAUX