Besides for a game over the border in Alabama last week, Bowdon’s bats have been scorching opponents’ pitchers during the first two weeks of the baseball season.

The Red Devils reached double digits in runs for the third time in five games Monday evening with a 16-4 five-inning victory at Central.

Bowdon (5-0) cranked six extra-base hits in the game, several of which sailed over the heads of Central outfielders.

“We’re not real big when we’re up at the plate, so I’m assuming they might be doing some defensive positions just based upon kind of the way we look,” Bowdon coach Mark Huggins said. “If you square a baseball up on these metal bats, they’re going to jump, so we were able to do that and knock a few over their heads.”

Bowdon has scored at least eight runs in every game this season with the exception of its 1-0 victory at Lineville (Ala.) last Thursday. In the Red Devils’ other four games, they’re averaging more than 11 runs.

Five players finished with two hits for the Red Devils against the Lions, who didn’t help themselves much with eight walks and a couple errors.

“All-in-all, it was just a total debacle,” Central coach Jeff Bryant said. “We didn’t throw the ball well, we didn’t field the ball well, we didn’t hit the ball well. I didn’t see a lot of scrap in our team.”

The only highlight of the night for the Lions (3-3) came in the second inning when leadoff hitter Ethan Marsh hit a grand slam to left field on a full count. That one swing of the bat brought Central back in the game and cut Bowdon’s lead to 7-4.

Just as quickly as the Lions seized the momentum, however, the Red Devils grabbed it right back.

Bowdon scored five runs in the top of the third inning to take a 12-4 lead. Four of the runs came with two outs.

“I think that was a testament of our guys coming back in here and understanding how tight of a ballgame it was at that point,” Huggins said. “That’s what we told them when they came back in the dugout, ‘We’ve got to get those back guys.’”

Each team’s starting pitcher only recorded four outs, but while Central went through three different relievers, Bowdon got a quality outing from Jason Jennings.

Jennings struck out eight and allowed just one hit in 3 2/3 scoreless innings for the Red Devils. Huggins said Jennings didn’t try to overthrow the ball like he did as the starter during Bowdon’s season-opening 8-2 victory over Central.

“This time, he looked in command,” Huggins said. “He had all his pitches and was really locating well. He’s tough when he’s doing that.”

The Red Devils have allowed only six runs this season and all have come against the Lions.

At the plate, Jacob Parson went 2-for-2 with four RBI and a run for Bowdon. Will Young finished 2-for-2 with four runs, while Trevor Pollard went 2-for-2 with with two RBI and three runs. Matt Sprewell (2-for-3, 3 RBI, 2 runs) and Seth Key (2-for-4, 2 runs) also had productive outings offensively for the Red Devils.

Central starting pitcher Mitch Lee went 2-for-3 and was the only Lion with multiple hits.

Bryant said said changes are on the way for Central, which goes up against another unbeaten Region 6-A team in Bremen (4-0) on the road Wednesday.

“Being a first-year coach over here, we’re still trying to figure out who can do what and that kind of stuff,” Bryant said. “This is just a very embarrassing night to be a Lion.”

In other baseball action:

Central JV 4, Bowdon 2: Duke Dailey and Jacob Alley pitched well on the mound for the Lions while Mitch Dillard had a solid game offensively.