Brantley County’s junior varsity baseball Herons split a pair of games falling on the road at Vidalia and beating visiting Tattnall County.
The Herons (7-3) had their fivegame winning streak snapped Tuesday, March 18 against the Indians falling 11-5.
BCHS bounced back Thursday, March 20 to beat the Warriors 11-1 to complete the season sweep. Brantley County won the first meeting 14-3 February 25 in Reidsville.
Brantley County traveled Monday, March 24 to Wayne County with the Yellow Jackets making the return trip Thursday, March 27 for a 5:30 p.m. first pitch. Toombs County visits for a doubleheader Monday, March 31 starting at 4 p.m.
The Herons host Charlton County at 4 p.m., Thursday April 3 and go to Folkston Saturday, April 5 for an 11 a.m. first pitch.
Vidalia................................11 Herons.................................5
VIDALIA — The Indians overcame an early 3-0 lead taking the lead for good with a five-run third inning to beat Brantley County.
The Herons used a two-run homer by Dennis Raulerson (1-for-4) to grab a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Dalton Bennett drew a one-out, four-pitch walk and scored two pitches later on Cain Roberson’s (1-for-2) double. Raulerson blasted a 2-1 pitch to leftcenter for the three-run advantage.
Vidalia evened the score at 3-all in the bottom of the second against Raulerson (3 IP, 4 H, 8 R, 3 ER, 2 K, 3 BB, 3 HBP). A bases loaded hit batter, an error and a sacrifice fly tied the score.
Brantley County claimed its final lead with a run in the top of the third. Parker Rentz (1-for-3) and Roberson sandwiched walks around Bennett getting hit by a pitch to load the bases. Rentz scored on a wild pitch for a 4-3 lead.
The Indians plated five runs in the bottom of the inning to claim an 8-4 advantage. Vidalia sent 11 batters to the plate with nine reaching on three errors, three singles, two walks and a hit batter.
BCHS scored its final run in the top of the fourth. Conner Sumner (1-for-3) laced a leadoff double and eventually scored on Ethan Sherrod’s (1-for-2) two-out double closing the deficit to 8-5.
Vidalia responded with a run in the bottom of the fourth and added two in the sixth against Rentz (3 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 K, 3 BB).
Herons..................................11 Tattnall County.......................1
CANEY BAY — Ellis Westover tossed five innings of three-hit ball pitching BCHS past the Warriors.
The Herons put the game away with an eight-run fifth inning breaking open a 3-1 advantage.
Westover allowed a second inning run. He finished with six strikeouts, issued a walk and uncorked one wild pitch.
Westover also led the Herons at the plate going 4-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs. Roberson and Raulerson each went 2-for-3.
Tattnall County grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning scoring on a groundout after consecutive innings started the frame.
BCHS tied the score in the bottom of the second. Westover led off with a double. Courtesy runner M. Keen scored when Sumner (1-for-3) followed with a double.
The Herons took the lead in the bottom of the third plating two runs. Bennett walked, stole second and scored on Roberson’s base hit. Westover followed a single by Raulerson with a run-scoring base hit for a 3-1 lead.
Singles by Raulerson and Westover started the fifth-inning uprising. Raulerson scored on a one-out grounder by Tallan Collins.
Seven consecutive batters reached after the second out with six scoring to end the game via the “mercy rule.” Rylee Young followed Sherrod getting hit by a pitch with a run-scoring double for a 5-1 advantage.
A two-run double by Rentz (1-for-4) one pitch later gave BCHS a 7-1 lead. Following Jerrin Sirmans getting hit by a pitch, Roberson delivered a run-scoring single. After Raulerson was hit by a pitch loading the bases, Westover laced a bases-clearing double to end the game.
