Brantley County, which entered the 2025 campaign with a lofty No. 2 pre-season ranking in Class A Division II, lost three times to remain winless two weeks into the season.
The Herons (0-6) fell 8-3 Monday, February 17 at Brunswick. The Pirates won the February 10 meeting 2-0 to get the season sweep.
BCHS dropped a home-andhome series with Pierce County. The Class AA third-ranked Bears escaped with a 2-1 nine-inning win in Caney Bay Tuesday, February 18. PCHS followed with a wild 12-11 home win Thursday, February 20 on a brutally cold night.
Brantley County has a three-game slate this week. The Herons hosted Long County Monday, February 24 and goes to Ludowici Friday, February 28. BCHS visits Tattnall County Tuesday, February 25.
The Herons will play four games the first week of March. Region foe Fitzgerald comes calling Tuesday, March 4 with Cook visiting Thursday, March 6. Brantley County visits Fitzgerald Friday, March 7 for a doubleheader.
Brunswick............................8 No. 2 Herons ........................3
BRUNSWICK — The Pirates scored three runs in their first at bat and never trailed in beating Brantley County.
Brunswick capitalized on a leadoff error to fuel the three-run inning against Hayden Hickox (3+ IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 K, 5 BB). The miscue was followed by a walk and a tworun double. A sacrifice fly one batter later gave the home team a 3-0 lead.
Brantley County cut the deficit to 3-2 in the third inning scoring both runs after two outs and one runner on base. Gavin Grafford (1-for-2) rocketed a leadoff single.
Following two quick outs, the second advancing Grafford into scoring poistion, Eli Thomas (1-for-4) singled to right scoring Grafford. After a walk to Kaden Hickox kept the inning alive, Carson Coger (1-for-4) delivered a run-scoring single plating Thomas.
Brunswick followed with single runs in the third and fourth innings and two in the fifth in building a 7-2 advantage. A single, walk and single scored the run in the third frame.
Brantley County squandered a scoring opportunity in the fourth inning getting back-to-back singles from Brody Howell (1-for-3) and Jackson Rowell (2-for-3) putting runners on the corners with nobody out.
The Pirates scored a run in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly. A leadoff walk and single ended Hickox’s afternoon. After both runners moved up, a sacrifice fly to center plated the run for a 5-2 lead.
Two errors aided Brunswick’s two-run fifth against Kent Thomas (1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 K, 3 BB). A leadoff error and a base hit started the rally. A two-base error on a sacrifice bunt scored the first run. Consecutive walks loaded the bases and forced home the second run of the inning for a 7-2 advantage.
Each team scored a run in the sixth. Brantley County scored on a one-out grounder. Rowell reached on a one-out single and moved to second on a walk to Grafford. Following a wild pitch, Rowell scored on Clark Carter’s groundout pulling the Herons to within 7-3.
A leadoff walk came home to roast for the Pirates. A two-out, first-pitch single plated the final run against Rowell (2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 K, 2 BB).
No. 3 PCHS...........................2 Herons ......................1, 9 Inn.
CANEY BAY — Beck Hodges’ oneout, run-scoring single in the top of the ninth inning broke a 1-all tie giving Pierce County a come-from-behind victory over the Herons.
Mark Sweet (2-for-4) legged out a one-out single, stole second and scored what proved to be the gamewinner on Hodges’ (2-for-3) bloop single to left off Brantley County’s Hendrix (8.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 9 K, 3 BB).
The Herons put the tying run on base in the bottom of the inning after Grafford (.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 K, 1 BB, 1 HBP) closed out a bases loaded situation to finish the top of the inning.
Rowell (1-for-3) led off the BCHS ninth with a single off Pierce County reliever Emmitt Hall (2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 K, 1 BB). Rowell was gunned down on an attempted steal of second one pitch later by PCHS catcher Jonathan Stone. Hall retired the next two batters on a ground out and fly out.
Brantley County plated its lone run in the first against Jones Herrin (7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 7 K, 2 BB, 1 WP). Colt Thrift (1-for-3) stroked a leadoff single, moved to second on a one-out wild pitch and advanced to third on a dropped third strike. Coger’s (1-for-4) ensuing fielder’s choice groundout plated Thrift for a 1-0 lead.
PCHS stranded Dylan Figueroa (1-for-4) in the second after a leadoff single. The Bears left two on in the third when Hodges reached on a one-out error and Chance Williams (2-for-5) followed with a single.
Brantley County left two on base in the bottom of the fourth. Coger ripped a leadoff single and Clark Carter (1-for-3) reached on a oneout single.
The Bears broke through in the fifth with a game-tying run. Sweet lined a one-out single, moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Hodges, and scored when Williams laced an ensuing first-pitch single.
PCHS put the go-ahead run on in the sixth when Braxton McCook drew a two-out walk. The Bears had the potential game-winning run on in the seventh when Hodges beat out an infield hit with one out.
The Herons also had the potential game-winner reach in the seventh when Carter drew a leadoff walk.
Both teams stranded a runner in the eighth inning. Figueroa drew a four-pitch walk with one out for PCHS. Hendrix walked with two outs in the bottom of the inning for Brantlehy County.
No. 3 PCHS .........................12 Herons................................11 BEARVILLE — PCHS withstood Brantley County’s seventh inning rally getting the final out on a called third strike with the tying run at third after the Herons had plated six runs.
The game featured 20 strikeouts (10 each team), 15 walks (eight for PCHS, seven for BCHS), seven hit batters (five by PCHS, two by BCHS), seven errors (four PCHS, three BCHS) and 315 pitches (163 for PCHS, 152 for BCHS).
Brantley County used four pitchers while the Bears had three to work from the mound. There were two innings where neither team scored — first and fifth.
Down 12-5, BCHS sent 11 batters to the plate to make things interesting. Kent Thomas (1-for-4) reached on an leadoff error. Brody Howell was hit by the next offering from Jonathan Stone (2 IP, 2 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 2 K, 1 BB, 2 HBP).
Hayden Hickox (2-for-4) followed with a first-pitch, two-run double cutting the deficit to 12-7. Eli Thomas (1-for-4) stroked a runscoring double two pitches later bringing the Herons to within 12-8. Gavin Grafford was hit by a 2-1 offering with Hendrix (1-for-2) walking on four pitches to load the bases.
Following a fielder’s choice play at the plate for the first out, a second fielder’s choice grounder by Rowell scored Grafford cutting the margin to 12-9. The second error of the inning, this one with two outs, plated two runs helping Brantley County close to within 12-11. Stone got the final out with a 1-2 strikeout looking.
The Herons chased PCHS starter Jaxton Harris (1.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 K, 3 BB, 2 HBP) in the second inning scoring four times after leaving two on in their first at bat.
Carter (1-for-4) ripped a 3-1 pitch for a double to start the inning. After Howell was hit by a one-out pitch, Hickox (2-for-4) lined a run-scoring single for a 1-0 lead. Thomas (1-for-4) was hit loading the bases.
A walk to Grafford forced home Howell. Hickox raced home on a passed ball and Thomas eventually scored extending the lead to 4-0.
PCHS answered with the next six runs. A two-run second was followed by a fourrun third for a 6-4 lead.
Hall (1-for-3) led of the Bears’ second with a walk from Thomas (2.2 IP, 1 H, 6 R, 0 ER, 6 K, 4 BB, 1 HBP, 1 WP). Jack McClellan was hit two pitches later. A two-out, dropped third strike to Kolton Brogdon on a wild pitch extended the inning loading the bases. An error on a ball hit by Hodges (1-for-4) scored two runs as the Bears closed to 4-2.
Pierce County scored four times after two outs in the third taking advantage of a second two-out, dropped third strike to fuel the rally. Stone (1-for-4) reached on a one-out infield hit with Hall following with a walk. A four-pitch walk to Figueroa (1-for-2) kept the inning alive.
Sweet (1-for-4) reached on a dropped swinging third strike allowing the first run to score. Hall raced home on a passed ball tying the score at 4-all. An error on Hodges’ popup scored Sweet and Figueroa giving PCHS the lead for good at 6-4.
Brantley County cut the margin to 6-5 with a run in the top of the fourth against Brantley Willis (3.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 K, 4 BB, 1 HBP). Hendrix (1-for-2) singled and moved up when Coger drew a walk.
Carter was hit by a one-out pitch loading the bases. Thomas followed with a run-scoring single to left pulling the Herons to within a run.
PCHS pushed the lead out to 9-5 with a three-run fourth with the runs charged to Howell (.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 K, 1 BB, 1 HBP).
Herrin was hit to start the inning. Hall’s one-out single to right put runners on the corners with McClellan walking to load the bases. Figueroa followed with a bases clearing double on a 1-1 pitch for a four-run advantage.
The Bears plated three runs in the home half of the sixth extending the lead to 12-5 after leaving the bases loaded in the fifth with consecutive strikeouts ending the threat.
Pierce County started the sixth with a four-pitch walk to Figueroa, who moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Sweet reached on an infield hit putting runners on the corners.
A run-scoring single by Hodges, who took second on the throw to the plate, gave PCHS a 10-5 lead. Williams (1-for-4) was hit by the next pitch loading the bases. A two-out error on a pop fly by Stone allowed Sweet and Hodges to score Pierce County’s final two runs.
