THOMASVILLE — Host Thomasville broke away from a 6-5 lead with a seven-run sixth inning in Friday’s Game 2 to complete a Region 1-A doubleheader and three-game series sweep of Brantley County winning 13-7.
The sweep by the Bulldogs (15-9 overall, 9-3 region) was the second straight against the Herons (9-14, 4-8) following a three-game setback against fifth-ranked Worth County.
Brantley County has two region series remaining starting this week with Bacon County. The Red Raiders visited Tuesday, April 7 with the series shifting to Alma Thursday, April 9. Bacon County returns to Caney Bay Friday, April 10.
The last week of the regular season starts Monday, April 13 with a visit from Long County. BCHS travels Tuesday, April 14 to Jeff Davis with Yellow Jackets coming to town Thursday, April 16. The regular season finale is Friday, April 17 in Hazelhurst.
All seven games over the final two weeks start at 6 p.m.
Brantley County grabbed its only lead in the series finale with a run in its first at bat.
Gavin Grafford (1-for-4) legged out an infield hit to start the game. Consecutive walks to Clark Carter and Cain Roberson followed loading the bases with nobody out. The Herons one run came on a two-out, 0-2 count, triple steal with Grafford swiping home for a 1-0 lead.
The Bulldogs followed with a three-run first against Roberson (3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 K, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 1 WP). Thomasville did its damage after two outs and nobody on base after the Herons turned 1-6-3 doubleplay.
A double, consecutive singles - the second driving home a run - a hit batter loading the bases and a two-run single did the damage.
BCHS closed the deficit to 32 with a run in the third. Grafford and Carter drew consecutive walks on full-count pitches. Roberson’s ensuing sacrifice bunt ended with a miscue allowing Grafford to score. Kaden Hendrix walked loading the bases before Thomasville escaped without any further damage.
The Herons left the tying run on base in the fourth with Eli Thomas (1-for-1) starting the inning with a base hit.
Thomasville widened the margin to 6-2 with a three-run fourth against Rylee Young (3 IP, 5 H, 10 R, 2 ER, 1 K, 2 BB, 1 HBP). The Bulldogs scored the first run on a two-out double, which was followed by an error allowing two runners to race home for the four-run advantage.
Brantley County tightened the score with a three-run fifth closing the deficit to 6-5. Carter opened the inning reaching on a two-base error and was removed for courtesy runner Parker Rentz. Roberson followed with a four-pitch walk.
After both runners moved up on a one-out wild pitch, Jackson Rowell lined a run-scoring single plating Rentz cutting the lead to 6-3. A walk to Carson Coger loaded the bases.
Roberson raced home on a wild pitch with Rowell and Coger advancing pulling BCHS to within 6-4. Dennis Raulerson (1-for-4) followed with a runscoring single making it a 6-5 game and putting runners on the corners. Thomas reached on an error loading the bases still with one out.
The Bulldogs again escaped a bases loaded situation getting the next two batters to protect the one-run lead.
Thomasville broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth with a seven-run uprising to open up a 13-5 lead. The Bulldogs sent 12 batters to the plate with four reaching on fielding errors, including three in a row.
The Herons scored twice in the seventh. Rowell was hit by the second pitch of the inning with Coger reaching on a fielder’s choice. After Raulerson hit into a fielder’s choice retiring Rowell at third and a strikeout for the second out, Eli Nielson’s ensuing grounder was thrown away allowing Coger and Raulerson to score for the final 13-7 margin.
