Grant Hall (shown in a 2017 game) had a tough first inning Thursday against Open Bible, hit three times in three at-bats by pitches.

TIFTON — Grant Hall might hold a record now, though it may not be one he wants to have.

Hall was hit by pitches three times in the first inning of Tiftarea Academy’s Thursday baseball game at Open Bible Christian.

Head coach Chance Benson is positive that it is a record.

“It has to be,” he said.

Unfortunately, the National Federation of High Schools does not break down records that far. The NFHS does have four individuals documented as being hit by pitches four times in a single game, including an Oklahoma high schooler last year, but does not have a sub-category for innings.

Hall might have achieved that — and teammate Cain Cooper, too — had Benson not pulled most of his starters early.

Tiftarea Academy thumped Open Bible Christian, 14-2, and were thumped themselves. Statistics input by Benson on GameChanger showed eight Panthers dinged. Cooper, like Hall, was hit three times, though thankfully not all in the same inning.

Tiftarea had six hits off Open Bible pitchers and scored all 14 runs in the first frame. The mercy rule stopped the game after the completion of the fifth inning.

“Definitely not the prettiest game,” Benson said. “[Open Bible]struggled a bit finding the zone.”

Thursday’s win allowed Tiftarea to rebound from their previous game, a 14-13 walk-off loss at Trinity Christian of Sharpsburg. Benson said the Trinity loss was perhaps his most painful.

“One of the worst endings,” he said. “It was tough.”

The Panthers had another game called off against Windsor Academy Tuesday because of bad weather. They will be back in action Tuesday at Brookwood School for the start of the Region 3-AAA schedule. Tiftarea is hopeful the region experience will be less painful, both physically and mentally.

The Warriors are 0-4, according to their GameChanger stats. Two of the losses, said Benson, were to Maclay, a team Tiftarea defeated in their opener. The other two defeats were by bigger GHSA schools, Thomasville and Bainbridge.

“They’re a solid team,” said Benson about Brookwood.

Tiftarea will immediately return the favor, hosting the Warriors Friday at 6 p.m., which will double as Alumni Appreciation Night. All Tiftarea alumni plus one guest will be admitted free, he said. That even applies if the alum did not play baseball. Benson would like to have a player from 1978, 1988, 1998 and 2008 available to throw out the first pitch.

Benson is happy with his team’s direction so far this year.

The offense has been in high gear, averaging 12 runs per game. Hunter Hartsfield and Cooper each have seven runs batted in and Cooper has two home runs. Carter Stewart has knocked in six runs. Hall has scored seven times, Will Matt, six.

Excepting Trinity, who Benson wants to see again in the state playoffs, three opponents have posted a grand total of four runs. Pitching has also been a plus, with the three wins credited to three different starters: Dawson Patterson, Brandon Prudhomme and Hayden Murphy.

Murphy earned Thursday’s win.