BEARVILLE — Pierce County’s Grayson Arington’s squeeze bunt with one out in the bottom of the fourth scored Dylan Johnson with what proved to be the winning run in a 2-1 victory here Thursday over Vidalia in a matchup of second-ranked teams.
Christian Osbourne (5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 5 K, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 1 WP) and Jonathan Stone (2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 K, 0 BB) teamed up to shut down the Class A DI secondranked Indians (10-5), who lost for the fifth time in seven games after an 80 start.
Pierce County capitalized on a one-out error to dent the plate first in the third inning. Arington’s one-out grounder to first was misplayed.
Chance Williams grounded into a fielder’s choice, stole second and raced home when Beck Hodges (1-for-3) dumped a two-out, 3-2 offering into right for a 1-0 lead. PCHS would eventually leave the bases loaded after consecutive fourpitch walks to Jack Mc-Clellan and Stone.
Vidalia evened the score at 1-apiece in the top of the fourth. Patel worked a leadoff walk, was sacrificed to second, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch third strike.
Johnson started the PCHS fourth getting hit by a Patel pitch. Osbourne followed Johnson’s theft of second with a walk.
Garrett Stevenson dropped down a firstpitch, sacrifice bunt to advance the runners. Arington followed suit with a first-pitch, squeeze bunt plating Johnson for a 2-1 lead.
Osbourne worked his way out of a jam in the fifth of his own doing with a two-out hit batter and walk before getting the final out of the inning.
Stone retired the Indians in order in the sixth with three groundouts. He gave up a leadoff single in the seventh with two flyouts and a strikeout following to preserve the win.
