Brantley County split four games with the two victories coming at thirdranked Region 1A foe Bacon County for the series win.
The Lady Herons (8-7 overall, 7-3 region), who entered the Top 10 rankings prior to the week at No. 10, fell from the September 8 poll Monday after a suffering 7-5 loss at home to Class AA Coffee Tuesday, September 2.
BCHS then fell 7-4 at Class 5A Glynn Academy Monday, September 8 and followed with a 4-2 setback in eight innings at home to the Lady Red Raiders (13-2, 12-2) Tuesday, September 9 in the three-game series opener.
The Lady Herons swept the Thursday, September, 11 doubleheaderin Alma ending Bacon County’s opening 13-game winning streak and 12-game region winning streak posting 52 and 11-2 victories.
Brantley County traveled to fourth-ranked Jeff Davis Tuesday, September 16 and will host the Lady Yellow Jackets in a twinbill Thursday, September 18 starting at 4 p.m.
Worth County visits Tuesday, September 23 for a 5:30 p.m., first pitch a region matchup. The series shifts to Sylvester for a twinbill Thursday, September 25.
Glynn Academy........7 Lady Herons............4
BRUNSWICK — Glynn Academy pulled away from a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning scoring four insurance runs to beat the Lady Herons.
The Lady Red Terrors broke scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning against Reagan Mclain (5.2 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 7 K, 2 BB, 1 WP) taking advantage of a leadoff dropped third strike. A sacrifice bunt with the runner racing to third was followed by a run-scoring groundout.
Glynn Academy added a run in the fourth for a 2-0 lead scoring on a two-out single.
Brantley County broke the ice in the fifth after stranding four runners over the first four innings. Caiden Jones (2-for-3) led off the inning belting a 22 pitch for a solo homer to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Lady Terrors got the run right back in the bottom of the inning on a one-out grounder for a 31 lead.
BCHS responded with a run in the sixth to get to within 3-2. Sydnee Davis reached on a one-out, three-base error. Chelsea Turner (2-2) followed two pitches later with a sacrifice fly to center plating Davis.
After the out, the Lady Herons loaded the bases with three consecutive two-out singles by Jayden Lewis (1-for-4), Sydney Page (2-for-3) and Jones before the final out was recorded.
Glynn Academy followed with a four-run bottom half of the inning scoring on a fielder’s choice groundout, a tworun single and a run-scoring double to build a 7-2 lead.
Brantley County scored twice in the top of the seventh. Braylee Grant (2for-2) lined a leadoff single and Rilee Story was hit by a one-out path. After Grant’s courtesy runner, Chloe Johns, and Story moved to second and third on a passed ball, Turner laced a two-out, first-pitch two-run single closing the deficit to 7-4.
Game 1 No. 3 Bacon Co. .......4 Lady Herons.2, 8 Inn.
CANEY BAY — The Lady Red Raiders plated three runs in the eighth inning breaking a 1-all tie to notch the series opening win over Brantley County.
Bacon County’s Laney Ahl (7.2 IP, 10 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 K, 0 BB) and the Lady Herons’ Turner (8 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 R, 4 K, 3 BB, 1 WP) locked up in a pitcher’s dual with each surrendering just one run through seven innings.
The Lady Red Raiders’ lone run came courtesy of a Asher Thompson (1-for-1) solo homer leading off the fourth inning. It was her only official at bat in the series drawing 10 walks.
The Lady Herons had several scoring opportunities slip away. Consecutive singles by Lydia Anderson (3-for-4) and Story (3-for-4) started the first. Consecutive doubles by Story and Davis (3-for-4) started the bottom of the fourth. Story held up a third on the Davis extra base hit.
Brantley County finally scored in the sixth tying the game at 1-apiece. Anderson hit a leadoff single and moved to third when Davis lined a one-out single to left. Turner’s firstpitch, sacrifice fly to center scored Anderson tying the score.
The Lady Red Raiders threatened in the top of the seventh with a two-out single and double on consecutive pitches. Turner froze the ensuing Bacon County batter with a called third strike.
Thompson was intentionally walked to start the eight, stole second and moved to third on Ayla Dixon’s (1-for-4) single. Macie Holton reached on a sacrifice bunt loading the bases. Thompson and Dixon scored on Carly Lankford’s (2-for-4) twoout single for a 3-1 lead. Holton scored the final run on Jaycee Martin’s fielder’s choice groundout.
Brantley County got one run back in the bottom of the eighth and had the tying run on base when the final out was recorded. Anderson and Story each
FILE PHOTO reached on consecutive one-out singles. Davis followed with a run-scoring single capping three hits on three pitches.
Game 2 Lady Herons ..........................5 No. 3 Bacon County................2
ALMA — Brantley County made a five-run first inning stand behind the combined pitching effort of Mary Hall and Turner.
Hall worked 6.1 innings scattering six hits. She fanned one and walked six with both runs unearned. Turner retired both batters she faced in the seventh to close out the win.
The Lady Herons five-run first was highlighted by Grant’s (2-for-4) grandslam homer. Story (1-for-3) and Davis drew consecutive one-out walks. A first-pitch single by Turner (3-for-4) plated Story for a 1-0 lead. After Lewis (1-for-4) blooped an 0-2 pitch loading the bases, Grant lifted a 1-1 pitch over the right field fence for the homer and a 5-0 lead.
Bacon County after stranding a runner in the first, scored single runs in the second and third innings to get to within 5-2.
The Lady Red Raiders scored on Lankford’s two-out singlein the second inning after an error extended the inning. They scored in the third on Martin’s (1-for-2) groundout with the inning aided by an error.
Brantley County was unable to punch home a run after Anderson (1for-4) and Story started the fourth with base hits. The Lady Herons left Mclain (one-out, pinch-hit single) and Anderson (reached on error) on base in the sixth.
BCHS left two on the in seventh when Lewis (1-for-4) reached on a two-out error and Grant followed with a single.
Bacon County stranded two in the bottom of the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth. The Lady Red Raiders had runners (two walks) at second and third in the bottom of the seventh when the last out was recorded.
Game 3 Lady Herons .........................11 No. 3 Bacon Co............3, 6 Inn.
ALMA — The Lady Herons broke away from a 1-all tie scoring four times in the fourth and put the game away with six runs over the final two innings to get the series win.
Brantley County scored a first inning run on Turner’s (2-for-4) oneout, run-scoring single. Anderson (3-for-4) opened the game with an infield hit, stole second and scored on Turner’s (2-for-4) base hit.
The Lady Red Raiders pulled even at 1-apiece in the bottom of the second on Blakelee Johnson’s (1-for-3) two-out base hit against Mclain (6 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 K, 4 BB), who threw just 55 pitches for the game.
The Lady Herons set the fourth-inning uprising in motion with Lewis (1-for-3) and Page (1-for-3) sandwiching being hit by pitches around a walk to Grant after the first out of the inning. Mclain (2-for-3) followed with a sacrifice fly giving the visitors the lead for good at 2-1. After Johns, courtesy running for Grant, scored on a wild pitch, Jones (2-for-4) blasted a two-run homer for a 5-1 advantage.
Bacon County scored its last run in the bottom half of the frame. A twoout walk was followed by consecutive errors helping the Lady Red Raiders pull to within 5-2.
Davis (2-for-4) led off the Brantley County fifth with a double and scored on Grant’s one-out grounder. An error on Page’s grounder and consecutive singles by Mclain and Jones, the last scoring Page, extended the margin to 7-2.
The Lady Herons would end the game via the “mercy rule” in the sixth plating four runs. Story (1-for-3) led off with a single and moved to third on Turner’s double. A bloop single by Davis scored both runners for a 9-2 advantage. A double by Page and another by Mclain one pitch later drove home the final two runs.
