SUMRALL – For a moment Thursday night the Franklin CountyBulldogs had visions of an upset. Paced by a leadoff home run fromjunior centerfielder DeHendret Collins on the second pitch of thegame, the FC Dawgs led nationally ranked Sumrall 1-0 in the firstinning.

The Bobcats. ranked 5th nationally in the ESPN Fab 50 HighSchool Baseball poll. plated out 15 runs on 10 hits over the nextthree innings to spoil the Bulldogs upset bid, taking Game 1 of theseries 15-1.

Game 2 of the 3A second round series is tonight in Bude,starting at 7. Sumrall will send its senior ace Jared Miller (7-0)against Franklin County’s junior southpaw standout DeHendretCollins.

Coached by Larry Knight, Sumrall the defending Class 3A StateChampions will risk its state-leading 35 game winning streak datingback to last season tonight in the Swamp. Sumrall’s last defeat wasat Franklin County last year in the playoffs.

“We’ve got to turn it up a notch tonight,” said Collins. “Ourseason is on the line.”

The Bulldogs (13-9) struck early in Game 1, but it wasn’tenough. Sumrall scored three runs in the bottom half of the firstand added two more in the second for a 5-1 lead.

Throwing errors and walks hurt the Bulldogs in the third inning,as Sumrall plated 10 runs in the frame. The game was called after 5innings of play due to the 10-run mercy rule.

Sumrall sophomore southpaw Luke Lowery (8-0) got the win,striking out six.

For the Bulldogs, senior Jordan Hunt absorbed the loss. FCpitchers Phillip Dillon and Colton Laird saw action in relief ofHunt in the third and fourth innings.

At the plate, Miller ripped his state-leading 13th home run.Sumrall sophomores Austin Carter and Austin Knight each added adouble and a single.

For the Bulldogs, Collins had a solo home run, while juniorHunter Hatcher plated two singles.