Brantley County’s junior varsity Herons stretched their winning streak to five games with a home win against Jeff Davis and a road win at Camden County.
The Herons (6-2) beat the visiting Yellow Jackets 7-3 Wednesday, March 12. Monday’s (March 11) game in Hazlehurst was postponed and played Saturday, March 15 with Brantley County winning 2-0.
Brantley County overcame a 3-1 deficit Thursday, March 13 in Kingsland to beat the Wildcats 11-3.
BCHS traveled Tuesday, March 18 to Vidalia for a doubleheader. The Herons host Tattnall County Thursday, March 20 at 4 p.m.
Brantley County will face Wayne County in a home-and-home series next week. The Herons travel to Jesup Monday, March 24 with the Yellow Jackets making the trip to Caney Bay Thursday, March 27. Both games have 5:30 p.m. starts.
BCHS’s varsity Herons have a four-game work week which began Tuesday, March 18 in Nashville against region foe Berrien. After finishing off the season series hosting Tattnall County in the backend of a jayvee-varsity doubleheader, Thursday, March 20, the Rebels visit Friday, March 21 for a twinbill to finish up the three-game series.
Herons .....................7 Jeff Davis .................3
CANEY BAY — Brantley County scored three times in the first inning in beating the Yellow Jackets.
Eli Thomas was hit by a pitch to start the Herons’ first. Dalton Bennett (1for-2) blasted a 1-1 offering for a two-run homer and a quick 2-0 lead.
Clark Carter followed by reaching on a dropped third strike. He stole second, moved to third on a passed ball and scored when Cain Roberson’s (1for-2) ground ball was misplayed.
Brantley County added a run in the bottom of the second extending the lead to 4-0. Parker Rentz (1for-3) lined a first-pitch, leadoff double, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a groundout by Cullen Bass.
The Yellow Jackets cut the deficit to 4-1 in the top of the third with a run against Bennett (4 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 7 K, 4 BB, 2 WP). A leadoff walk, wild pitch and a one-out single plated the run.
BCHS responded with a run in the bottom of the inning for a 5-1 lead. Carter was hit by a two-out pitch to keep the inning alive. After stealing second, Carter raced home on an a fielding error.
Jeff Davis scored twice in the top of the fourth on a wild pitch and an error to get to withing 5-3.
Roberson escaped a one-out, bases loaded jam in the Yellow Jackets’ fifth with a flyout and groundout. He surrendered backto- back two-out singles in the sixth.
Brantley County scored a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. Bennett drew a four-pitch walk and scooted around to third on consecutive wild pitches.
Carter was hit by the next offering and Roberson walked on four pitches loading the bases. Dennis Raulerson (1-for-3) followed with a two-run single off an 0-2 pitch for a 7-3 lead.
Herons....................11 Camden Co...............3
KINGSLAND — The Herons scored the final 10 runs of the game in rallying from a two-run deficit entering the third inning.
BCHS scored in its first at bat when Thomas (2for-2) hit a leadoff double, stole third with one out and scored on a throwing error.
Camden County tied the score at 1-all in the bottom of the inning on a two-out, bases loaded hit batter by Ellis Westover (1.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 K, 3 BB, 1 HBP).
The Wildcats scored twice in the second on a one-out single and an ensuing groundout for a 3-1 lead.
Brantley County closed the deficit to 3-2 in the top of the third. Ethan Sherrod (1-for-2) drilled a oneout single, Thomas walked and Bennett (2-for-3) was hit by a pitch loading the bases. Carter (1-for-2) lifted a sacrifice fly to center scoring Sherrod.
The Herons, after Carter (4.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 5 K, 3 BB, 1 HBP) escaped a bases loaded situation in the bottom of the third and left two on in the fourth, took the lead for good in the fifth with three runs.
Sherrod worked a oneout walk with Thomas getting hit by an 0-2 pitch. Both moved up on a wild pitch and scored on Bennett’s single for a 4-3 lead. Bennett raced home when Carter followed one pitch later with a double.
Brantley County stretched the lead out to 93 with a four-run sixth. Rylee Young (1-for-2) started a string of five consecutive batters reach with a leadoff single.
Young moved to second on an errant pickoff throw and scored on Westover’s (2-for-3) hit. A single by Rentz (1-for-3) put runners on the corners.
Both scored when Tallan Collins’ grounder was thrown away extending the margin to 8-3. Sherrod doubled with one out and scored on a two-out single off the bat of Thomas pushed the lead to 9-3.
The Herons scored twice in the seventh. Bennett’s leadoff double was followed by Carter getting hit. The pair executed a double steal with Bennett scoring on a throwing error. Roberson’s ensuing sacrifice fly to left plated Carter with the final run.
Rentz allowed a leadoff single and a two-out walk in finishing out the seventh for Brantley County.
Herons.....................3 Jeff Davis.................0 HAZELBURST — Brantley County rode the two-hit, complete game shutout of Young in finishing off the sweep of the Yellow Jackets.
Young (7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 K, 2 BB, 1 WP) threw just 75 pitches facing 24 batters, three over the minimum. He never faced more than four batters in any inning. He retired the side in order three times.
Seven different players had one hit apiece for the Herons with Bass having the lone extra base hit with a double.
Brantley County scored in the second inning after leaving Bennett and Roberson (1-for-3) stranded in its first trip to the plate.
Rentz (1-for-3) reached on a one-out error. Collins drew a four-pitch, two-out walk to keep the inning alive. Sherod’s ensuing grounder two pitches later was booted allowing Rentz to score from second for a 1-0 lead.
BCHS left two on in the third and the bases loaded in the fourth. A one-out single by Rentz in the seventh ended a stretch of eight straight batters retired.
Bass (1-for-3) drilled the ensuing pitch for a run-scoring double for a 2-0 lead. Bass advanced to third on a wild pitch ahead of a walk to Collins. Bass scored on the second wild pitch of the game pushing the margin to 3-0.
