CANEY BAY — Kaden Hendrix and Gaven Grafford combined for five hits and drove home seven runs in Brantley County’s 11-1 Region 1-A series clinching victory in five innings here Thursday night against visiting Berrien.
The Herons (8-8 overall, 3-2 region) won their third consecutive game with Hendrix’s four-RBI night going 2-for-3 at the plate. Grafford finished 3-for-4 with three runs batted in.
Hendrix’s performance at the plate helped his cause on the mound. He scattered five hits over the five innings he toed the rubber. Hendrix fanned four, walked two, hit a batter and uncorked a wild pitch in the route-going performance.
BCHS struck first in the second inning after Hendrix worked out of a two-out first and third situation in the top of the first and a two-out, first and second situation in the top of the second.
Hendrix led off the home half of the second with a single and moved into scoring position on an errant pickoff attempt by the Berrien pitcher. Cain Roberson drew a one-out walk. Hendrix raced home from second when the Rebels’ catcher threw wildly on a stolen base at third for a 1-0 lead.
Berrien broke through in the third inning scoring its lone run tying the score at 1-apiece. A one-out walk was followed one pitch later with a single to right putting runners on the corners. A fielder’s choice groundout chased home the tying run.
The Herons regained the lead at 2-1 in the bottom of the inning with a run and followed with a five-run fourth ending the game in the fifth after scoring four times to have the “10-run mercy rule” enacted.
Grafford lined a one-out single and took second when the ball was bobbled in left. A walk to Dennis Raulerson was followed by Clark Carter’s (1-for-4) hard single to left loading the bases. Hendrix lifted a sacrifice fly to left scoring Grafford with the go-ahead and eventual winning run.
BCHS widened the margin to 7-1 in the bottom of the fourth scoring all five runs after two outs and one on base. Eli Nielson (1-for-3) reached on a one-out, dropped third strike and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Five consecutive batters reached after the second out.
Grafford roped a runscoring double plating Nielson for a two-run advantage. After Raulerson was hit, Carter’s ensuing grounder was booted loading the bases. Hendrix drove an 0-1 pitch into center, scoring Grafford and Raulerson for a 5-1 advantage. Jackson Rowell (1-for-2) followed with a two-run single upping the margin to 7-1.
The Herons ended the game in the bottom of the fifth, extending the advantage to 11-1 scoring four runs. Carson Coger (1-for-3) opened the inning with a double and raced home on Nielson’s deep infield single in the hole with the first run. A single by Thomas put runners at first and second.
Grafford followed a wild pitch moving both runners into scoring position with a two-run single to left for a 10-1 lead. After Raulerson was hit one pitch later, Carter lifted a fly ball to left with Grafford tagging and racing to third. Hendrix beat out a relay throw on his grounder to short allowing Grafford to score ending the game.
