BEARVILLE — Pre-season Class AA fourthranked Pierce County opened its 2026 season here Monday night turning back Long County 4-1.
Senior Emmitt Hall, a Georgia College & State University signee, tossed four innings of two-hit ball striking out six and walking two in the February 9 tilt. Brantley Willis worked three perfect innings in relief fanning seven.
Chance Williams led the five-hit attack going 2-for-2 with an RBI and three stolen bases. Christian Osbourne, Johnathan Stone (RBI) and Bryson Smith added a hit apiece.
PCHS’s first four batters of the season reached with three scoring. Williams drew a leadoff walk and stole second ahead of a single by Osbourne (1-for-4).
Williams scored from second on Stone’s (1-for-3) infield hit. A walk to Dylan Johnson loaded the bases with nobody out.
After a fielder’s choice retired Osbourne at the plate, Willis lifted a sacrifice fly to left scoring Stone for a 2-0 lead. Johnson, who tagged on the play, bolted home two pitches later, scoring on a passed ball extending the margin to 3-0.
Hall worked his way out of a pickle in the third inning after surrendering a single and a one-out walk with consecutive strikeouts to end the threat.
The Blue Tide scored its lone run in the fourth inning. A leadoff error was followed by a first-pitch double putting runners at second and third. An ensuing groundout plated the runner from third cutting the lead to 3-1 with Hall finishing the inning with a strikeout and groundout.
PCHS capitalized on a leadoff error by Long County to score its final run in the bottom half of the inning.
Smith’s grounder to short was bobbled. Grayson Arington executed a sacrifice bunt moving Smith into scoring position. After a Beck Hodges grounder, Williams lined an 0-1 pitch to left driving home Smith for a 4-1 lead.
Willis entered in the fifth inning striking out the first batter he faced. Following a groundout, he fanned six consecutive batters with the game ending on a comebacker to the mound.
