Class AA pre-season third-ranked Pierce County swept Class A Division I pre-season second-ranked Brantley County in a home-and-home series before losing at Bacon County.
The Bears (4-2) extended their winning streak to four games with a pair of one-run wins over the Herons (0-6), who were ranked second in the pre-season poll. PCHS escaped with a 2-1 road victory in nine innings Tuesday, February 18. The Bears outscored Brantley County 12-11 on a bitter cold Thursday night, February 20.
Homestanding Bacon County (2-2) ended PCHS’s winning streak Friday, February 21 posting a 3-2 victory.
Pierce County has three games on the schedule for this week. The Bears traveled Tuesday, February 25 to Jesup to face Wayne County. They go to Lyons Wednesday, February 26 to face Toombs County. Southeast Bulloch visits Friday, February 28.
PCHS visits Vidalia Tuesday, March 4 and will host Toombs County Friday, March 7.
No. 3 Bear................................ 2 No. 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 game-winner on Hodges’ (2-for-3) bloop single to left off Brantley County’s Kaden 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 Gaven 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.
Jackson 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. Carson 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 one-out 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 fourpitch walk with one out for PCHS. Hendrix walked with two outs in the bottom of the inning for Brantley County.
No. 3 Bears .............................12 No. 2 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 four-run third for a 6-4 lead.
Hall (1-for-3) led off 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.
Bacon County .......................3 No. 3 Bears ...........................2
ALMA — A bases loaded wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh plated the game-winning run lifting the Red Raiders past Pierce County.
Bacon County, down 2-0 after three innings, tied the score with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings against Hall (5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 10 K, 2 BB, 1 BP).
After leaving two on in the sixth against Brogdon (1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 K, 4 BB, 2 WP), the Red Raiders’ Ray Tucker (1-for-3) and Scottland Hennesy (1-for-3) opened the seventh with consecutive walks. An intentional walk to Knox Ledbetter (1-for-2) loading the bases was followed by a wild pitch scoring Tucker with the game-winning run.
PCHS scored in its opening at bat against Caiden Lewis (4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 8 K, 4 BB). Williams drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on an errant pickoff attempt and scored on Herrin’s (1-for-2) single to center.
The Bears upped the advantage to 2-0 with a run in the third. Herrin walk to start the inning, stole second and scored on Stone’s (1-for-3) oneout double.
Bacon County sliced the deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth. Ledbetter and Cam Merritt (1-for-3) opened the inning with consecutive base hits. A one-out walk to pinchhitter Santiago Bizzell loaded the bases ahead of a two-out walk to Lewis forcing home a run.
The Red Raiders evened the score in the fifth at 2-apiece on a one-out triple by Hennesy and an ensuing sacrifice fly by Ledbetter.
Sweet (2-for-3) led off the PCHS sixth and was left standing at first when the inning ended. The Bears went 1-2-3 in the seventh.
