Rebels split series against Franklinton

PEARL RIVER — Pearl River split a doubleheader with Franklinton last week.
In the first game, Seth Dreux got the start going five innings, allowing five runs (two earned) on seven hits. He walked three and struck out four.
Dreux kept the Demons in check the first three innings. Rain, hail and strong winds halted play for 25 minutes, and in the fourth, when play resumed, Dreux gave up two runs on two hits. An error, a walk and two hits in the fifth, gave the Demons a five-run lead.
Finally in the top of the sixth, the Rebels offense made a brief appearance.
Jesse McGinnis lead off with a single and Mike Smith walked. The next two hitters grounded out and flew out. Lance Failla and Seth Dreux singled to push across the only runs the Rebels could produce. Chad Galloway came in relief in the sixth and shut down the Demons on seven pitches.
The Rebels fell short in the seventh leaving one man on, ending the game with a 5-2 loss.
Chase Moore got the start in game two in only his second time on the bump this year, due to an early season knee injury.
Moore shut out the Demons 2-0, allowing two hits, one base-on-balls, and six strikeouts in six innings pitched in a solid performance against a good hitting Demon offense.
In the top of the third, the Rebels loaded the bases. Mike Smith reached first on an error, followed by Dillon Colgin with a walk then Lance Failla was hit by a pitch. With two outs and an 0-2 count, Dustin Crawford crushed a fastball, high in the zone, for a single which pushed across the Rebels’ only two runs of the game.
Moore retired the side in the fourth with three strikeouts. In the fifth and sixth, the Rebels defense made some great plays. Dreux made a sliding catch in centerfield, which would have been extra bases, and Chad Galloway had a dig that would have put the runner in scoring position. In the seventh, Mike Smith was called on to close the game after Moore hit the lead-off batter. With a runner on base, Smith struckout the first batter he faced. The next hitter singled advancing the man on first to third. The next batter grounded out to Smith, but advanced the man on first to second.
With first base open, the batter was intentionally walked to load the bases. The Demon’s third-hole hitter was up and worked the count to 3-2.On the final pitch, the Demons runner was running on the pitch.
A sharp ground ball was hit between first and second where Lance Failla made a sliding grab, bounced up and threw a seed for the final out of the game.