CORDELE — Brantley Willis was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth inning sparking a five-run uprising lifting Pierce County to an 8-3 victory, its 11th in a row, here Friday in the twinbill nightcap and a three-game sweep of Region 3-AA foe Crisp County.
The Bears hosted Cook in a region matchup Tuesday, March 31. The series shifts to Adel for Game 2 Thursday, April 2 at 6 p.m. The series final is scheduled for Friday, April 3 at 6 p.m. in Bearville.
Pierce County travels Tuesday, April 7 to Brooklet to face Southeast Bulloch at 5 p.m. The Bears play Wednesday, April 8 in Ludowici against Long County.
Jonathan Stone (2-for-4) got the rally PCHS (183 overall, 9-0 region) started with a leadoff double in a 3-all game. A walk to Dylan Johnson (1-for-3) was followed by Christian Osbourne (1-for-4) reaching on his sacrifice bunt to load the bases. Willis (1for-2) was hit two pitches later forcing home Stone for a 4-3 lead.
The Cougars’ (7-14, 1-5) Dawson Bennett, who twirled a complete game, was on the verge of getting out of the inning with a short flyout to left and a 52 fielder's choice play at the plate. Chance Williams (2-for-3) spoiled the effort with an inside-thepark grand slam homer extending the secondranked Bears’ margin to 8-3.
Emmitt Hall (4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 8 K, 1 BB) retired Crisp County in order over the sixth and seventh innings striking out five of the final six batters. Hall came on in the fourth inning in relief of Willis (3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 K, 1 BB).
PCHS scored twice in the first inning with the Cougars responding with two runs in the home half of the inning.
Williams opened the game with a double and advanced to third when Beck Hodges’ sacrifice bunt was misplayed. Williams scored ahead of Jack McClellan’s fielder’s choice groundout for a 1-0 lead. After Stone’s ensuing groundout moved McClellan into scoring position and eventually to third on a passed ball, Dylan Johnson’s (1-for-3) twoout, infield single scored McClellan for a 2-0 lead.
Crisp County evened the score on triple, runscoring double and a oneout grounder against Willis.
The Bears recaptured the lead in the second inning. Bryson Smith (1-for-3) bunted into a fielder’s choice after a Willis base hit started the inning. Grayson Arington (1-for-3) followed with a single putting runners at first and second. Smith raced home from second on a wild pitch for a 3-2 lead.
The Cougars tied the score at 3-apiece with a run in the bottom of the fifth. A one-out single and passed ball put the Crisp County runner a second. A run-scoring single followed.
