PEMBROKE — The Purnell Swett baseball team had a lot of baserunners over the first two innings against Hoke County Tuesday, but left five on base and had an early two-run lead instead of blowing the game open.

In the third inning they had even more baserunners — because they kept the line moving.

The Rams scored 11 runs in the frame, dominating the Bucks in a 13-1, five-inning win.

“We executed,” Purnell Swett coach Jeff Lamb said. “But the thing about it, we’ve got to get to where any time we have that situation, we’ve got to get in that mindset — even in that (fourth) inning, even where we were score-wise, we still need to execute in that situation down the road. We’ve got to be able to perform in those moments. We’re just after the W, we got the win and we’ll move on. We’ll go over to their place Thursday and continue to take care of the business we need to take care of.”

Part of the reason Purnell Swett (7-4, 6-3 Sandhills Athletic Conference) was so successful in the third was five Rams batters being hit by a pitch in the inning. In total, seven Rams were hit during the game.

“It kind of started when we played Independence last week; everybody all of a sudden is trying to throw us in, so guys are going to get hit,” Lamb said. “That’s the nature of the business. We’ve got some good-sized guys and they don’t want them to extend, so they’re going to throw in on them.”

The Rams led 2-0 entering the inning. After Keithyn Hunt and Will Brooks were hit by pitches to load the bases, Zac Strickland doubled to plate Hunt and Ethan Wilkens, who reached on a leadoff double. Cameron Fields reached after a wild pitch on the third strike that allowed Brooks to score, then Mason Locklear singled to drive in Strickland and Fields for a 7-0 lead.

Locklear went on to score on a wild pitch as Kylan Ransom was hit by a pitch and Braeden Oxendine and Wilkens each walked. Jonathon Jacobs singled to score Ransom and Oxendine, and after Hunt was hit by another pitch — his third of the game — Brooks was also hit by a pitch, allowing Wilkens to score for a 11-0 lead. Jacobs then scored on a groundout and Hunt came home on an error on the same play, completing the 11-run frame.

The Rams had scored two runs in the first, as Fields and Ransom came home on separate Hoke County (1-10, 1-8 SAC) errors. But the Rams left the bases loaded, then stranded two more in the second inning.

Hoke County was held to one run by Hunt, who allowed five hits with seven strikeouts and one walk. Five of Hunt’s last six outs came by the strikeout.

The Bucks’ run came in the fourth inning on a two-out bloop single by Ian Carter, scoring Drew Atkinson, who reached on a leadoff walk. The Bucks stranded two runners on base in the first and third innings, both times after Takoda Hardin and Dorian Tucker had consecutive hits off Hunt.

“That seems to be (Hunt’s) M.O. here; he’ll give up some hits, but he’s been able to get out of those situations, and he’s doing what he needs to do to be successful on the mound,” Lamb said. “He (didn’t walk anybody) — that’s effective. He’s throwing strikes, let the guys put it in play and make the plays behind him.”

Fields was the only Ram to record multiple hits, with two. Fields, along with Ransom, Wilkens and courtesy runner Chris Baker, each scored two runs. Locklear, Jacobs and Strickland each had two RBIs.

Purnell Swett also won the first of two consecutive games in dominant fashion against its last conference opponent, beating Jack Britt 10-1 two weeks ago — but then won 3-2 in the second meeting three days later. The Rams will look to make sure that type of flat second-game performance doesn’t repeat itself against the Bucks in the second meeting Thursday at 5 p.m. in Raeford.

“We’ll address that tonight, just making sure we’re mentally ready and when we get there we’re prepared to play,” Lamb said. “That’s been an issue with us; sometimes we show up and we’re not ready. That’ll cost you a game real quick. Hopefully they’ll have their minds right and we’ll be ready to roll.”