BEARVILLE — Class 4A fifth-ranked Wayne County used three tworun rallies in winning 7-2 to complete the season sweep of second-ranked Class 2A Pierce County here Tuesday night.
The Yellow Jackets (65) ended a three-game losing streak with the victory. Wayne County knocked off the Bears (7-3) February 20 in Jesup capturing a 5-3 decision.
The visitors broke away from a 1-all deadlock with a two-run third. They followed with two runs in the fourth and added the final two runs in the sixth doing their damage against four PCHS pitchers.
Brantley Willis (3 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 K, 1 BB, 3 HBP) had an eratic first inning, but limited Wayne County’s damage to just one run thanks to an inning- ending double play with the bases loaded.
Chance Williams opened the PCHS first getting hit by the first offering from Ostin Kinard (7 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 K, 2 BB, 1 HBP). Williams stole second and scored on a Beck Hodges’ (1-for-3) single to even the score.
After both teams stranded a runner in the second, each would take turns scoring runs in the third.
Willis surrendered a run-scoring double and a one-out, run-scoring single as the Yellow Jackets grabbed a 3-1 lead.
Pierce County got one run back in the bottom of the frame striking after two outs and nobody on base. Jack McClellan (2for-4) lined an opposite field single and raced home on Jonathan Stone’s (2-for-3) double to rightcenter cutting the margin to 3-2.
The Yellow Jackets knocked around PCHS reliever Kolton Brogdon (2.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 K, 2 BB) with the first four batters reaching and two scoring in the fourth.
PCHS threatened in the bottom of the fourth with Dylan Johnson’s (1-for-3) leadoff single and Christian Osbourne’s slow chopper Johnson beat to the bag at second. The runners moved up on a one-out grounder and were stranded with a groundout to end the inning.
Following a 1-2-3 fifth inning for both sides, the Yellow Jackets scored the final two runs of the night in the sixth.
Detki drew a leadoff walk and raced to third on Yeomans’ ensuing single. Peel’s groundout plated Detki for a 6-1 lead ending the night for Brogdon.
Colt Hickox (.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 K, 0 BB, 1 HB) hit the first batter he faced, gave up a stolen base and surrendered a run-scoring single to Wilkerson before retiring the next two batters to end the inning and PCHS trailing 7-2.
Gavin Schreiber worked around a one-out error in the top of the seventh to keep the Bears within striking distance.
Consecutive two-out walks in the seventh to Williams and Hodges went for naught with Kinard inducing a gameending groundout.
