REIDSVILLE — Pierce County put a wrap on the Region 3-AA three-game series with Tattnall County, scoring a third consecutive “10-run rule” victory in the Top 10 matchup.
The second-ranked Bears (12-3 overall, 3-0 region) stretched their winning streak to five games with 12-2 victory here Friday, March 13. PCHS outscored the eighth-ranked Warriors (7-7, 0-3), losers of four straight, 35-5 with each game ending in the fifth inning.
Pierce County stretched its dominance in the series to 37 victories over the last 40 games (since 2010), including the last 10 matchups.
PCHS and rival Appling County (6-7, 3-0), who enters the matchup fresh off a three-game sweep of fourth-ranked Cook (7-6, 0-3), begin a three-game set. The Bears travel to Baxley for the Tuesday, March 17 opener and Friday, March 20 finale. The teams meet Thursday, March 19 in Bearville. All three games are scheduled for 6 p.m. starts.
Pierce County entertains Crisp County Tuesday, March 24. The two teams will play a doubleheader Friday, March 27 in Cordele.
The Bears plated a first inning run set up by Chance Williams (1-for-3) getting hit for the fifth time in the series. He swiped second, tagged and moved to third on a Beck Hodges (1-for-4) fly ball to right, and scored on Jack McClellan’s (3-for-4) second- pitch single to left.
PCHS tacked on five runs in the second frame after Emmitt Hall (3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 K, 0 BB) set the Warriors down in order in their half of the first. Hall retired nine of the 10 batters he faced with the lone blemish a leadoff single in the third frame.
Christian Osbourne opened the second with a four-pitch walk and was lifted for courtesy runner James Alonso. Brantley Willis (1-for-3) lined an 02, offering up the middle. Both runners raced around the bases when Bryson Smith’s (1-for-2) sacrifice bunt was thrown away, the first of eight errors committed by Tattnall County in the game, with Smith ending up at second and a 3-0 advantage.
Grayson Arington’s (1for-3) ensuing bunt was down the right field line, allowing Smith to score from second for a 4-0 lead. Williams legged out an infield hit, stole second and scored when Hodges’ grounder was booted. McClellan followed one-pitch later with a run-scoring double, extending the lead to 6-0.
Pierce County pushed the margin to 8-0 with a two-run third. Osbourne walked and was replaced by Alonso. Willis followed reaching when his grounder was booted. Both runners scored when Smith followed with a two-run double off a 1-2 offering.
The Bears continued to pad their lead with a tworun fourth. McClellan singled to start the inning with Jonathan Stone (1for-4) reaching when his ensuing grounder was misplayed.
A two-out walk to Willis loaded the bases, keeping the inning alive. Pinch-hitter Garrett Stevenson’s grounder was misplayed, allowing both McClellan and Stone to score for a 10-0 advantage.
Tattnall County would scored twice in the bottom of the inning taking advantage of Colt Hickox (.2 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 K, 2 BB, 4 HBP, 1 WP) struggles. Hickox hit three consecutive batters after retiring the leadoff batter.
A wild pitch plated the first run, followed by a walk, loading the bases for the second time in the inning, a caught stealing of home on a triple steal attempt, a hit by pitch re-loading the bases, an error allowing the second run to score, and a walk loading the bases for the fourth time in the frame before the final out was recorded by Stone (1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 K, 0 BB, 1 HBP).
PCHS got the two runs back in the top of the fifth on a two-run homer by Stone. Hodges singled with one out and trotted home when Stone blasted a two-out, 1-1 pitch over the fencing in left for a 12-2 lead.
He worked the bottom of the fifth, hitting a batter with two outs and allowing a single before ending the game with a three-pitch strikeout.
