Bears play Morgan Co. in Class 2A title series Saturday
BEARVILLE — Arington to Hodges to Willis.
It’s not as famous as the Chicago Cubs’ Tinkers to Evers to Chance double play combination of the early 1900s, but Pierce County’s sophomore infield trio of second baseman Grayson Arington, shortstop Beck Hodges and first baseman Brantley Willis could be by the time they graduate.
The PCHS threesome turned a game-ending and series-ending double play in the seventh inning protecting the top-seed Bears’ 4-3 lead against sixth-seed Cook (23-14) in Thursday’s (May 14) “if” game in front of the largest crowd this season to advance on to the Class AA championship series.
Thursday’s deciding game was the first for the Bears since 2022 when they played in three consecutive “if” games in Rounds 2-4.
Pierce County (33-4) and second-seed Morgan County (34-4) will meet Saturday, May 23 at 5 p.m., in Game 1 inside J.I. Clements Stadium on the Georgia Southern campus in Statesboro. Game 2 will follow approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the series opener.
An “if” game would be played Monday, May 25. No game time has been released.
The Bulldogs swept 19th-seed Franklin County winning 6-3 and 3-1 Thursday.
The Bears are playing for a fourth time looking for an elusive state title. Pierce County was swept in Atlanta by Lovett (AA) in 1994, lost the “if” game to homestanding Appling County (AA) in 2012, and was swept by North Hall (AAA) in Rome in 2017.
PCHS improved to 3-1 all at home - in semifinal deciding games and 9-6 overall in winner-take-all matchups. Pierce County beat Gainesville 16-2 in 1994 at home to reach the finals and visiting Lovett 17-7 in the 2012 semis. Redan advanced in 2022 with a 6-1 victory in Bearville.
The Hornets, who pulled to within 4-3 with a run in the top of the sixth, got consecutive one-out singles putting the tying run at second.
Willis (1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 K, 0 BB), the Bears’ Game 2 starter who threw 80 pitches Wednesday night, was in his second inning in relief of starter Emmitt Hall (5+ IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 K, 3 BB). Following the two singles, Willis fell behind 2-0 to Cook slugger Colt Carlo (1for-3), who belted a threerun homer in the series opening 12-0 win.
Jonathan Stone, who needed 45 pitches to get the final five outs to save PCHS’s season in the Bears’ 8-3 victory in Game 2, only needed two pitches for the save.
A called first-pitch strike on a fastball to Carlo was followed by a groundball to Arington. The second baseman flipped the ball towards the bag with Hodges making the catch and firing the ball over to Willis to complete the double play on the slow-footed Carlo setting off a wild eruption on the field and in the stands.
Pierce County had leads of 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 and 4-2 during the game with the Hornets tying the game at 1-apiece and 2-all.
The Bears struck first with a Stone (1-for-3) runscoring double in the home half of the opening frame. Jack McClellan (1for-4) singled with two outs on the fourth pitch of the inning. Stone followed with a double to left for the 1-0 lead.
Cook came right back in the top of the second to even the score. A leadoff single, sacrifice bunt and single put runners on the corners. A fielder’s choice ground knotted the score at 1-apiece.
PCHS responded with a run in the bottom of the inning. Willis (2-for-3) blooped a leadoff single to right with Christian Osbourne and Bryson Smith hitting into consecutive fielder’s choice groundouts.
Arington (1-for-3) lined a two-out single to left with Smith stopping at second. Chance Williams (2-for-4) followed with run-scoring bloop single to right for a 21 advantage.
The Hornets clawed back to even the score at 2all. A leadoff single, sacrifice bunt and a fly out to center moved the runner to third. Hall was called for a balk allowing the runner from third to score the tying run.
Pierce County took the lead for good in the fourth against Carlo, who threw a five-inning no-hitter in Game 1, working in his second inning of relief. Osbourne drew a leadoff with Smith sacrificing courtesy runner James Alonso to second.
After moving to third on Arington’s groundout, Williams ended Carlo’s stretch of 6 2/3 innings of nohit ball over two games with a run-scoring single for a 3-2 lead.
The Bears tacked on a run in the fifth. Stone opened the inning reaching on an error. After moving to second on Dylan Johnson’s sacrifice bunt, Stone raced home when Willis drove an 0-2 pitch up the middle for a single and a 4-2 advantage.
Cook scored just once after loading the bases with nobody out in the top of the sixth. A single and consecutive walks ended Hall’s afternoon.
After Willis fanned the first batter he faced, the Hornets pulled to within 4-3 on a fielder’s choice grounder to third with Williams tagging the runner out midway between second and third. A strikeout ended the threat.
