An eight-run third inning spoiled any hope Fort Dale Academy had of upsetting perennial-power Pike Liberal Arts School Tuesday afternoon in Troy. The Patriots topped the Eagles 10-0 in five innings.

The Eagles (1-2, 0-1) held Pike Liberal to just one hit in the game’s opening two innings before the Patriots unleashed an offensive explosion in the third that featured four extra-base hits, including two home runs. The Pike Liberal rally was aided by three Fort Dale errors.

“It was not a very productive inning for us,” Fort Dale head coach Josh Beverly said. “You can’t give one of the best teams, if not the best team, in the state extra outs, and that’s what we did. We gave them extra outs and they took advantage of that.”

The Patriots also got a strong performance on the mound from Lawson Stewart. The Pike Liberal hurler held Fort Dale to just one hit – a single by Dylan Jones. Jones was later thrown out trying to steal second base.

Fort Dale’s Skylar McKeown suffered the loss on the mound for Fort Dale.

The Eagles will be back in action at 9 a.m. Friday when they face off with Crenshaw Christian Academy in the first round of the Quality Co-Op FDA Baseball Tournament. That game will be played at Fort Dale’s new on-campus baseball field.