PEMBROKE — Opening up conference play oftentimes feels like a new season, and after a rocky non-conference schedule a fresh start is just what the Purnell Swett baseball team wanted.

To open Southeastern Conference play on Tuesday, the Rams hosted the first of two games this week against Scotland, who came in on a tear with an undefeated record. The rigorous nine-game stretch to start the season proved to be for the benefit of Purnell Swett as it earned a 6-2 win at home.

“We hoped that our non-conference schedule would prepare us for conference,” Purnell Swett coach Bryan McDonald said. “We didn’t get as many W’s as we wanted, but we faced quality pitching night in and night out, we faced quality hitters night in and night out and it definitely paid dividends tonight.”

The tough pitching had Purnell Swett (6-4, 1-0 SEC) prepared for Scotland (7-1, 0-1 SEC) as the Rams went after the Scots arms in the middle innings to cruise to victory.

Senior third baseman Cal Hunt led the charge at the plate with three hits and two RBIs.

“The ball looked pretty big to me. I guess I’m hot at the plate,” Hunt said. “There was intensity from the game, and I was feeling it. Starting conference play feels just like a new season, like there’s nothing better than Southeastern 4A baseball.”

Hunt had run-scoring hits in the fourth and sixth innings as the Rams stretched out their lead after Scotland’s only runs were put on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Hunt and the Rams answered Scotland cutting the lead to 3-2 with Chandler Brayboy reaching with a lead-off triple. He was thrown out at the plate on the next at bat, a grounder by Chay Locklear. Locklear stole second and scored on a single up the middle from Hunt. In the sixth, Hunt had a double down the left field line to score Bladen Strickland to make the score 5-2.

“We worked on situtational hitting all week and I think it helped out a real lot,” Hunt said.

“Since the Jack Britt loss, we have dealt with situational hitting,” McDonald said, “runners in scoring positions and trying to keep them moving. We did that tonight and he came up with big hits for us.”

Along with Hunt being a senior leader at the plate, senior pitchers Ethan Chavis and McKinley Strickland combined to hold Scotland to three hits. Strickland got the start and allowed one hit and fanned six batters before being pulled and replaced by Chavis in the fourth inning. In relief, Chavis allowed two hits and struck out eight over the final 3 1/3 innings.

“The pitch count deal we got going on is crazy and he (Chavis) was going to have to be pulled out of that ballgame to be available on Friday if he hadn’t got a quick strikeout there at the end,” McDonald said. “We’re glad he did and he’s available on Friday now.”

Purnell Swett scored three runs in the first, one coming on a fielding error, another on a Ryan Graham single and the final run scored came across when Dakota Locklear scored from third on a wild pitch.

Scotland answered in the next half inning when Davon Ratliffe grounded to Locklear at short with the bases loaded and the junior mishandled the ball, allowing two runs to score.

Donta Green had two hits to lead the Scots. Graham also had two hits of the Rams’ eight hits on the night.

The teams finish up the second game of the series on Friday in Laurinburg.

Jonathan Bym | The Robesonian Purnell Swett third baseman Cal Hunt scoops and throws to first base against Scotland. The senior made plays with his bat as well, with three hits and two RBIs in the 6-2 win for the Rams.
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_Cal-hunt2017321232956380.jpgJonathan Bym | The Robesonian Purnell Swett third baseman Cal Hunt scoops and throws to first base against Scotland. The senior made plays with his bat as well, with three hits and two RBIs in the 6-2 win for the Rams.
Purnell Swett opens SEC play with 6-2 win over Scotland

By Jonathan Bym

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Jonathan Bym can be reached at 910-816-1977. Follow him on Twitter @Jonathan_Bym.