PORT NECHES — Porter scored its first seven runs in two-out situations. That’s the kind of night Port Neches-Groves was in for.

Instead of the 5A state champion Indians clinching the bi-district series Friday night, Porter forced a third game with a surprising 12-3 victory, just one night after PNG had the series advantage with a 6-1 win in Porter.

Game 3 will start at 6 tonight at The Reservation. The winner will take on Santa Fe, which defeated Houston Furr 12-0 and 11-0, in the area round.

The Spartans (22-10-1), the third seed from District 21-5A, led 12-0 through four innings, but the Indians (19-10-3) averted the run rule with three runs in the fifth, thanks to RBI at-bats by Carson Roccaforte, Austin Bost and Brandon Petix. Four of six stranded Indian runners were in scoring position.

But Porter managed to build a sizable lead against starter Josh Hranicky, who lasted 2 2/3 innings.

Hranicky struck out the leadoff batter and induced a groundout to start the game, but Max Dias reached on high-hop infield single and scored on a Zane Russell triple to center. The Texas Sports Writers Association’s 2017 5A MVP retired the side in order in the second and fanned his first two batters in the third before running into trouble.

The Spartans drew three walks and scored on two passed balls and a balk to chase the senior, who gave up two hits and struck out four in 16 at-bats. Garrett Miertschin and Coltin Atkinson then hit back-to-back one-run singles before Jamison Simmons delivered a strike to end a 10-batter third.

Simmons left after issuing three straight walks to begin the fourth. Logan Martin then forced in a walk, Patrick Hine reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on a passed ball, and Miertschin and Tayler Baker both were hit by pitches to force in runs with Holden Lane on the mound.

Bost managed to calm down Porter bats, giving up only a Dias triple in the seventh and striking out five in the final 3 1/3 innings. PNG’s Cameron Stansbury and Dias each had two hits; Stansbury doubled with two outs in the second.

Russell, Porter’s starter, earned the win going one batter into the sixth and holding PNG to one earned run on four hits. Baker finished off the night striking out two and allowing one hit, a Drake Varnado single.

Bost also hit a leadoff double in the first.

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I.C. Murrell: 721-2435. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews