FITZGERALD — Homestanding Fitzgerald broke away from a 5-all tie with a two-out, run-scoring single in the third inning, en route to a Region l-A opening 11-6 win over Brantley County here Tuesday.
The Purple Hurricane (7-3 overall, 1-0 region) scored 10+ runs for the fifth time this year, while ending a two-game skid, which included one-run losses to Coffee and Tift County.
BCHS entered Game 1 of the three-game series, having split a pair of 2-1 decisions to Camden County sandwiched around a 7-4 victory at Long County.
Fitzgerald jumped out a 5-0 lead in the first inning, recording five hits against Rylee Young (3.1 IP, 9 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 2 K, 2 BB, 2 HBP). The Purple Hurricane scored on a sacrifice fly, two-run single, sacrifice bunt and run-scoring single.
Brantley County battled back to within 5-3 in the top of the second. Kaden Hendrix drew a four-pitch walk to start the inning, with Jackson Rowell (l-for-4) doubling on the ensuing pitch.
Cain Roberson (l-for-3) drove an 0-2 pitch for a one-out, two-run double cutting the deficit to 5-2. Eli Neilson (l-for-3) delivered a two-out, run-scoring single as the Herons climbed to within 5-3 A two-run third inning tied the score at 5-all. Dennis Raulerson (l-for-3) led off the inning blasting an 0-1 pitch over the fence in left for his first homer of the season.
Hendrix followed two batters later with a one-out walk. He advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on Carson Coger’s (l-for-3) two-out single to even the score at 5-apiece.
Fitzgerald recaptured the lead for good in the bottom half of the inning. The Purple Hurricane got leadoff single and a walk. A two-out single broke the tie for a 6-5 lead.
A four-run fourth helped Fitzgerald double up the Herons at 10-5. A one-out, run-scoring double got the scoring going. A squeeze bunt plated the second run with a two-run single following to cap the inning.
Brantley County scored its final run in the fifth. Raulerson walked, moved to second on a passed ball and scored when Hendrix’s ground ball was booted, pulling the Herons to within 10-6.
The Purple Hurricane’s final run came in the sixth against Rowell (2.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 K, 0 BB, 2 WP). They scored on a two-out single.
BCHS did put two runners on base in the top of the seventh, getting a two-out double from Clark Carter (1for-4) and a four-pitch walk to Hendrix ahead of the final out being recorded.
