HAZLEHURST — Jeff Davis used a two-run fourth inning to break a 6all tie and then held on for a Region 1-A 8-7 victory here Tuesday over visiting Brantley County.
The loss was the second straight for the Herons (12-16 overall, 7-9 region) dropping them a game behind the Yellow Jackets (12-16, 8-8) in the region standings.
Jeff Davis jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning against Gaven Grafford (5 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 5 K, 3 BB, 1 HBP) in the April 14 matchup. Two of the three runs came courtesy of Tye Rea’s (1for-4) one-out, two-run homer to left.
The Yellow Jackets capitalized on a two-out hit batter. An ensuing passed ball was followed by a run-scoring error for the 3-0 lead.
BCHS plated its first run in the second. Eli Thomas (2-for-2) singled with one out, moved over to second on a passed ball, and raced home on Cain Roberson’s (1-for-2) twoout double pulling to within 3-1.
Jeff Davis answered with a two-run second to open up a 5-1 advantage. A one-out walk was followed by Treyton Webster’s (3-for-4) two-run blast to right two pitches later.
Brantley County responded with a five-run third inning to grab its only lead of the game at 65.
Grafford led off the inning reaching on an error. A walk to Clark Carter, who was removed for courtesy runner Parker Rentz, followed. After both runners moved up on a wild pitch, a Kaden Hendrix groundout scored Grafford cutting the deficit to 5-2.
A two-out walk to Jackson Rowell kept the inning alive. A run-scoring single by Thomas pulling the Herons to within 5-3 was followed by a go-ahead, threerun homer to left off the bat of Dennis Raulerson (1-for-3) for the short-lived 6-5 advantage.
The Yellow Jackets evened the score in the bottom of the frame. A two-out walk, a balk and a run-scoring single tied the score at 6-all.
Jeff Davis followed with a two-run fourth. A leadoff double and single to start the inning put runners on the corners. A run-scoring single followed for a 7-6 lead.
The throw back to the infield was cut off. BCHS got the out at second with the second run scoring on the play for a two-run lead.
Brantley County scored its final run in the sixth. Thomas worked a leadoff walk and moved around to third on an errant pickoff attempt. Roberson lifted a sacrifice fly to left scoring Thomas closing the deficit to 8-7.
The Herons put the tying run on in the seventh with Hendrix drawing a two-out, four-pitch walk.
