BLUE RIDGE — A three-run second inning gave 11th-seed Fannin County a 4-3 lead en route to taking Game 1 6-5 over 22nd-seed Brantley County in a best-of-three Class A DI first round game here Friday.
The Region 7 runner-up Rebels (19-11) stretched their end of the season winning streak to eight games with the April 24 decision. Meanwhile, the Herons (13-18), Region 1 No. 5 team, lost for the fourth time in five games. They left 10 runners on base including six in scoring position.
Fannin County spotted BCHS a 3-0 lead in the first inning before scoring six of the next seven runs to take a 6-4 lead into the seventh.
The Herons scored once in the seventh and had the tying run at second when the opener ended.
Eli Thomas (3-for-4) legged out a one-out, infield single. He stole second with two outs and raced home on Cain Roberson’s double cutting the margin to 6-5. A oneout fly ball ended the game.
Brantley County scored three times in the first with two coming on Carson Coger’s (1-for-4) team-leading fourth homer — all over an eightgame stretch beginning April 7 against Bacon County.
Clark Carter was hit by a one-out offering from Casen Bailey (6 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 11 K, 2 BB, 3 HBP). Following the second out, Coger launched a 2-1 pitch over the fence in left for a 2-0 lead four batters in.
Jackson Rowell singled two pitches later, stole second and scored on a Thomas single beating the throw home upping the margin to 3-0.
Fannin County chipped one run off the deficit in the home half of the first against Rylee Young (6 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 3 K, 4 BB, 2 HBP). A two-out, first-pitch solo homer off the bat of Drew Barfield (1-for-3) did the damage.
After Brantley County left Eli Nielson one-out (hit by pitch) and Carter (two-out walk) standing in the top of the second, the Rebels plated three runs to take a 4-3 lead.
A leadoff double, a twoout run-scoring triple was followed by a game-tying, run-scoring single. A hit batter and an error followed with the go-ahead run scoring on the error.
BCHS left two on in the third when Thomas singled with two outs and Dennis Raulerson drew a four-pitch walk.
Fannin County increased the lead to 5-3 with a run in the bottom of the inning. A one-out single was followed by a runscoring error with the runner racing home from first.
The Herons scored an unearned run in the fourth. Nielson reached on a leadoff error, moved to second on an errant pickoff, and scored when Gaven Grafford’s (1-for-4) bunt was thrown wildly past first.
Kaden Hendrix (2-for-4) reached on a one-out single putting runners at the corners. Bailey retired the next two batters on strikes.
Brantley County left one on in the fifth when Raulerson was hit by a one-out pitch. Hendrix was left on base in the sixth after lining a two-out single.
Fannin County added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. A single and error started the inning. An intentional walk loaded the bases ahead of a sacrifice fly to center.
