LUDOWICI — Pierce County broke a 5-all tie scoring the go-ahead run on a fielding error in the fourth inning in a 9-5 decision here Wednesday over Long County.
The ScoreAtlanta second- ranked Bears (23-3), who are the No. 2 public school team in the Max-Preps rankings, moved to the top of the GHSA power rankings last week. They replaced Morgan County after stretching their winning streak to 16 games, while the Blue Tide (12-9) fell for the fourth time in six games following the April 8 matchup.
PCHS also won the first meeting 4-1 at home against the Blue Tide in the season opener for both teams February 9.
Pierce County has two regular season home games remaining before the playoffs begin. Class A DII ScoreAtlanta and MaxPreps top-ranked Lanier County, who also is the top team in the power rankings and the defending state champions, visits Thursday, April 16 at 6 p.m.
Clinch County, ranked sixth by ScoreAtlanta and seventh by MaxPreps and in the power rankings, comes calling Friday, April 17 at 6 p.m.
The Bears plated two runs in their first at bat. Chance Williams (2-for-4) worked a walk to start the game. He raced to third on Jack McClellan’s (2-for-3) one-out, opposite field single to right putting runners on the corners.
A two-out walk to Dylan Johnson loading the bases kept the inning alive. Brantley Willis (2-for-5) followed two pitches later with a two-run single.
Long County battled back with two runs in the home half of the first against Emmitt Hall (2.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 3 K, 0 BB) taking advantage of two errors to tie the score at 2-apiece.
PCHS scored three runs in the second after two outs and one on base to grab a 5-2 lead. Grayson Arington (1-for-3) and Beck Hodges (1-for-4) sandwiched a walk and single around the second out.
Following a walk to Mc-Clellan to load the bases, Jonathan Stone lined a two-run single to center giving the Bears a 4-2 lead. An error on a ball hit by Willis allowed McClellan to race home for the threerun advantage.
The Blue Tide tied the score at 5-all with a threerun third getting a one-out, solo homer and two-run homer two batters later chasing Hall.
McClellan and Stone started the Pierce County fourth with consecutive singles. After Johnson executed a sacrifice bunt, an error on a Willis infield pop plated McClellan with what proved to be the game-winning run.
PCHS added a run in the sixth on a one-out, Willis run-scoring single. Stone was hit with courtesy runner James Alonso moving to second on Johnson’s ensuing sacrifice bunt. He scored on the Willis liner to left for a 7-5 lead.
Pierce County added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh. Arington singled to start the inning, with Williams reaching on a two-base throwing error on his sacrifice bunt.
After a walk to Hodges loaded the bases, McClellan lifted a sacrifice fly. Williams scored the final run on a two-out, passed ball.
