PICAYUNE — Pearl River Central’s baseball team defeated Picayune 19-2 in five innings Tuesday night at Kent Kirkland Field.

In the top of the first inning, a double to center field by Austen Izzio allowed Tristan Schlottman to score the first run of the game for the Blue Devils. Two batters later, Izzio scored for PRC after a base hit by Eli Lee. Then, Lee extended the team’s lead to a 3-0 score after a pop-up fly by Caleb Tynes.

During the bottom of the first, Picayune’s Kyler Lauga responded with a run of his own after Shaun Anderson batted a double to center field. Afterwards, Anderson cut the Maroon Tide’s deficit to one run after a single by Chad Stockstill.

The inning came to an end when PRC’s Rigell Robinson struck out Luke Smith.

With the bases loaded in the top of the second, Blue Devils’ Zach Roussell scored after Dunhurst was walked to first.

On the next play, Mason Treat, Izzio and Dunhurst scored for PRC when Lee batted a double to center field. The three RBIs by Lee gave the Blue Devils a temporary 7-2 lead. Tynes and Robert Shoemake scored one run each before the end of the inning.

After both teams went scoreless in the third and fourth inning, the Blue Devils (13-3, 4-1 Region 7-5A) put the game out of reach after scoring 10 runs in the fifth inning.

Roussell and Treat scored twice and Schlottman, Izzio, Dunhurst, Cameron Brunson, Josh Kennedy and Tynes scored once each.

For the Blue Devils, Lee batted 2-for-3 with a double and six RBIs, Tynes was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Roussell was 1-for-1 with a double and two RBIs.

PRC’s Robinson pitched all five innings, permitting six hits, two runs and striking out 10 batters.

“Lee’s double was the difference maker for us because his hit to center field allowed us to take a 7-2 lead,” PRC Head Baseball Coach Neil Walther said. “We had some good hits when we needed them. Robinson faced some adversity in the first inning but he battled back and was able to control the game on the mound.”

For the Maroon Tide (8-8, 0-5 Region 7-5A), Anderson batted 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI, Stockstill was 1-for-3 with an RBI and Lauga, Elisha Hickman and Tyler Penton each went 1-for-3.

Peyton Esslinger, Caleb Burnette, Logan Ledet, Dylan Ramsay and Trey Wells each saw playing time on the mound for Picayune.

Both teams will face off again Thursday, weather permitting, at the PRC sports complex off of Lumpkin Road. Game time is set for 7 p.m.