LINDEN Marengo Academy (5-3) kept its in-state record spotless Monday with a 9-3 home win over Morgan Academy at Scott Park.

The Longhorns built a 4-0 lead after two innings and appeared ready to run away with the game before the Senators began to claw back into it. Morgan sent six batters to the plate in the top of the third inning, getting back-to-back doubles by Conner Thorpe and Johnny Watts to plate its first run of the game.

The game remained at 4-1 until the top of the fifth when Morgan catcher Forrest Hughes blasted a two-run homer to cut the Marengo lead to 4-3.

The Longhorns dialed up a pitching change with one out in the top of the fifth, moving Rabe Hale to the mound to replace starter Jamey Clements, who worked four and a third innings while allowing five hits and only two earned runs.

“Jamey didn’t have his best stuff today,” MA head coach Jonathan Lindsey said. “Our team didn’t have its best stuff. But they found a way to get the win.”

The Hale shift prompted Marengo to send Jacob Dunn into the game at second base, a move that proved most beneficial in the home half of the inning.

With the game still close at 4-3, Dunn connected to clear the bases with a grand slam to put the Longhorns out in front 8-3.

“(Jacob Dunn) came off the bench today and hit that home run and it really sparked us,” Lindsey said. MA added one more run in the sixth.

Hale pitched two and a two-thirds innings, allowed two hits and two walks while striking out two and keeping the Senators scoreless.

Wood Collins went 2-for-3 in the game with a run scored while Michael Martin went 1-for-2 with a double, two walks and a run.

“Today we just came out and just got the job done,” MA head coach Jonathan Lindsey said. “We didn’t play well. We did enough just to get by.”

The win came just two days after the Longhorns completed play in the Border Wars Tournament, an annual event at Glenwood Academy that sees AISA teams challenge top-flight private school squads from Georgia. The Longhorns went 1-3 in the bracket.

“It was a big weekend physically on our arms,” Lindsey said. “Trying to get back in the swing of things is tough.”

The Longhorns return to action Thursday when they are scheduled to host Lowndes Academy at Scott Park at 4 p.m.