A Seth Suess run-scoring single in the bottom of the sixth inning broke a 5-all tie sparking Ware County to a 7-5 non-region win here Thursday over visiting Appling County.
The Gators (15-7) extended their winning streak to 13 games April 2 and completed the sweep of the Class 2A Pirates (10-10), who had their four-game winning streak snapped. Ware County notched a 131 home victory March 2.
Ware County, who led 4-2 after three innings, trailed 5-4 entering the bottom of the fifth. Singles by Slade Sweat (2-for-2), who had his four-game home run tear with seven dingers end, and Landon Smallwood (1-for-4) on consecutive pitches started the home fifth.
Tanner Larisey (2-for-4) came through with a two-out single to right scoring Sweat to tie the game at 5-apiece.
After Larisey (3 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 K, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 2 WP) set Appling County down in order in the top of the sixth, the Gators capitalized on a oneout error to get winning rally ignited.
Garrison Joyner’s one-out grounder was booted. He moved to second on an errant pickoff ahead of Collin Crawford (1-for-2) getting hit by a pitch. Suess followed lining a 1-2 pitch to left driving in Joyner for a 6-5 lead.
After a walk to Sweat loaded the bases, Crawford raced home two pitches later on a passed ball. Ware County left the bases loaded when Isaiah White drew a two-out walk.
Larisey repeated his sixth inning performance retiring all three Pirate batters he faced in the seventh.
Appling County plated a first inning run against Ryder Kinnon (4 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 K, 4 BB) scoring on a one-out single for a 1-0 lead.
The Gators answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 1-all. Crawford was hit leading off, stole second, and scored on Sweat’s opposite field single to right.
The Pirates recaptured the lead in the second scoring once after loading the bases with one out. Two walks and a single filled the bags. A sacrifice fly followed for the 2-1 advantage.
Ware County grabbed its first lead in the bottom half of the frame plating two runs. Keaton Holloway (1-for-3) singled with one out, was balked to second and scored the tying run on a Colt Cox (1-for-2) double.
Cox stole third and scored the go-ahead run when Crawford legged out a two-out infield hit for the 3-2 lead.
The Gators upped the lead to 4-2 with a run in the bottom of the third. Sweat drew a leadoff walk, stole second and raced home when Smallwood’s grounder was thrown away.
Appling County took advantage of two errors, the second one with the bases loaded and one out, to score in its half of the fourth closing the deficit to 4-3. The Pirates loaded the bases with an error, walk and base hit.
Appling County scored twice in the top of the fifth grabbing its final lead at 5-4. A one-out double, passed ball and wild pitch knotted the game at 4-all. A two-out error allowed the lead run to score from second for the one-run advantage.
