Ware County rallied from a 7-0 second inning deficit to win a wild 10-8 affair over visiting Brantley County in junior varsity baseball action Monday afternoon.
Down by seven runs, the Gators (6-1) plated eight runs over the second and third innings for an 8-7 advantage in the March 2 matchup. The Herons evened the score at 8-all with a run in the fourth. Ware County scored the eventual winning runs in the sixth.
Brantley County exploded for six runs in its first trip to the plate against Asher Lee (.1 IP, 1 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 K, 5 BB, 1 WP).
The Herons loaded the bases on consecutive walks to Eli Thomas (1-for-2), Dalton Bennett and Ellis Westover (1-for-2) to start the inning. Kase Crews (1-for-3) lined an 0-1 pitch for a two-run single and a quick 2-0 lead.
An ensuing walk to Garrett Cox, Jr., reloaded the bases with a one-out walk to Chase Murray forcing home a run ending Lee’s afternoon. A wild pitch on Easton Law’s (1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 K, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 3 WP) first offering scored Crews.
Matthew Keen’s ensuing groundout plated Cox for a 5-0 lead. After Ethan Sherrod was hit by a pitch loading the bases for a third time, a wild pitch scored Murray with the final run of the inning.
BCHS plated a run in the second upping the margin to 7-0. Bennett drew a one-out walk, stole second and raced home on a two-base error on a ball hit by Westover.
The Gators took advantage of two Brantley County errors aiding in the scoring of four runs in the bottom of the second against Westover (2.2 IP, 4 H, 8 R, 4 ER, 3 K, 4 BB, 2 WP). Lee (1-for-2) raced to third on a three-base error. Hayes Sweat (1-for-2) drew a walk and continued his way to second drawing a throw allowing Lee to score.
Brayden Tanner (1-for-3) reached on an error with Sweat moving to third and eventually scoring on a wild pitch cutting the margin to 7-2. A Brayden Davis (1-for-2) moved Tanner’s courtesy runner, Jayce Pearson, to third.
Pearson scored on a passed ball with Davis advancing to second. A second passed ball was followed by a wild pitch scoring Davis to cut the deficit to 7-4.
Ware County followed with another four-run uprising in the third to take an 8-7 lead. Chaden Carter (1-for-4) opened the inning with a single. He moved around to third on an errant pickoff attempt.
Lee drew a one-out walk and stole second ahead of Sweat’s run-scoring single putting runners on the corners. Lee raced home on a pickoff attempt at first closing the deficit to 7-6.
Consecutive walks to Tyden Bradley and Davis loaded the bases. Sweat scored the tying run on a wild pitch. Ryder Gilbert’s run-scoring single gave Ware County an 8-7 lead.
BCHS tied the game in the top of the fourth at 8-apiece against Carter (5.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 6 K, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 2 WP). Thomas roped a one-out double, stole third and scored on Bennett’s groundout.
Ware County dented the plate twice in the sixth against Jerrin Sirmans (3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 6 K, 1 BB) after two outs to break the tie.
Lucas Howard (1-for-4) blooped a leadoff double. A two-out single by Lee kept the inning alive. Sweat walked loading the bases.
Tanner followed with a run-scoring, line drive single to left plating Howard giving the Gators a 9-8 lead. Lee raced home with the final run on a passed ball.
