CANEY BAY — Kaden Hendrix gave Brantley County the lead for good with a two-out, run-scoring double in the third inning to back his complete game performance in a 6-3 victory over visiting Jeff Davis here Thursday.
The Herons (13-16 overall, 8-9 region), who lost the series opener 8-7 Tuesday in Hazlehurst, scored five unanswered runs in pulling away from the 1-all tie against the Yellow Jackets (12-17, 8-9) to even the three-game series.
BCHS scored a run in its first at bat in grabbing a 1-0 lead. Gavin Grafford (3for-4) and Clark Carter (1-for-3) got the inning started with consecutive base hits. Grafford scored from second two batters later on Carson Coger’s (1-for-4) fielder’s choice groundout.
Jeff Davis knotted the score in the second against Hendrix (7 IP, 10 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 7 K, 1 BB, 1 WP), who needed 112 pitches to complete what he started.
Consecutive one-out singles put runners on the corners. An ensuing groundout plated the lead runner tied the score at 1-apiece.
The Herons took the lead for good in the third inning. Grafford lined a one-out single, advanced to second on an errant pickoff, and raced home on the Hendrix (1-for-3) two-out double.
After Hendrix pitched out of a one-out, bases loaded situation in the top of the fourth, Brantley County responded with two runs in the home half of the frame.
Coger blasted a 2-0 offering for a leadoff solo homer upping the margin to 3-1. A walk to Jackson Rowell (1-for-2) and an infield hit by Eli Thomas (2-for-3) were followed by a Dennis Raulerson (1for-2) sacrifice bunt.
After Cain Roberson was hit by a pitch loading the bases, Eli Nielson lifted a sacrifice fly to center scoring Rowell for a three-run lead.
Brantley County chased home a run in the fifth extending its margin to 5-1. Rowell singled with two outs, stole second and scored on a Thomas ensuing single building a four-run advantage.
BCHS added an insurance run in the sixth. A leadoff walk to Nielson and a one-out walk to Carter set up the score. After Nielson and courtesy runner Parker Rentz each moved up a base on defensive indifference, Hendrix lifted a sacrifice fly to center scoring Nielson for a 6-1 lead.
Jeff Davis didn’t go quietly in the seventh. The Yellow Jackets sandwiched a pair of singles around the first out. A twoout, two-run double closed the margin to 6-3.
The visitors brought the tying run to the plate following a single placing runners on the corners. A called third strike ended the game.
