BAXLEY — Beck Hodges lined a twoout, run-scoring single in the top of the sixth inning breaking a 1-all tie in Pierce County’s 3-1 victory here Tuesday night, in the series over region 3-AA bordering rival Appling County.
The victory was the sixth in a row for the second-ranked Bears (13-3 overall, 4-0 region), who sit alone atop the region standings. The loss ended a three-game win streak for the Pirates (6-8, 3-1), who entered with a sweep of previously fourthranked Cook.
Grayson Arington (2-for-4) got the tworun rally in the pivotal sixth inning started with a one-out, infield hit. He scored from first on Hodges’ run-scoring single two batters later for a 2-1 lead. Jack McClellan (1-for-4) followed with a second straight run-scoring single plating Hodges for a two-run advantage.
PCHS would load the bases before the final out of the inning. Jonathan Stone was hit for the second time, one of five Bears to painfully reach after being hit, ahead of a four-pitch walk to Dylan Johnson.
During the six-game winning streak, 19 Pierce County batters have been hit including 16 over the four region games. Leadoff batter Chance Williams has been drilled seven times with six coming in region games. He has been hit in five straight games.
Brantley Willis pitched two perfect innings in relief of Emmitt Hall (5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 K, 0 BB, 1 HBP) recording two strikeouts two shut the door on the Appling County offense.
The Bears scored their first run in the top of the second after Hall pitched around a pair of two out errors in the bottom of the first.
Stone led off the inning getting hit by the eighth pitch in his at bat. He moved to second on Johnson’s sacrifice bunt. After Willis was hit by a two-out pitch to keep the inning alive, Bryson Smith (1-for-3) followed two pitches later with a run-scoring single to center plating Stone for a 1-0 lead.
PCHS left the bases loaded in the third. McClellan and Stone reached on consecutive two-out errors with Johnson getting hit.
Appling County tied the score in the home half of the fourth. Harrison Hickox (1-for-3) lined a leadoff single and moved to second on Nate Carter’s sacrifice bunt. A single by Jarrod Deen (1-for-3) loaded the bases. Hickox scored on a 6-4-3 double play, tying the game at 1-apiece.
The Bears loaded the bases in the fifth only to be turned away. Hodges drilled a leadoff single and moved around to third on consecutive two-out walks to Johnson and Christian Osbourne.
