The Long County High baseball team put the last two games in Brunswick behind them Tuesday and regrouped with a 5 inning 11-1 victory over visiting Bradwell Institute. The win moves the Blue Tide record on the season to 5-2, with 3 more to play before the rigors of the region schedule begins. Allen Crystal went the distance for the win. Daiton Pass was tagged with the loss for the Tigers.
The Tide still have games, all rematches, at Bradwell, at Charlton, and Jenkins before the region schedule begins.
Tuesday night, the Blue Tide scored first in the bottom of the 1st inning on a sacrifice fly by Rex Johnson, scoring TJ Criswell. They scored again in the bottom of the 2nd on a sacrifice bunt by Hayden Beasley that scored Dwayne Rowe who had tripled to begin the inning. The Tide would add another single run in the bottom of the 3rd when Luke Wells ripped a line drive off 3rd baseman Logan Howard for a single, driving in Johnson for a 3-0 Tide lead after 3.
The Tigers would score their lone run in the next half inning when Tiger Andrew Hellgren grounded out to short, scoring Pass from 3rd.
The Tigers would get no more off Crystal, who threw all 5 innings, allowing 3 hits, 1 run, 6 strikeouts, and 2 walks.
Long County was able to create some distance in the bottom of the 4th. Consecutive hit batsmen to Carlos Cruz and Cole Moss followed consecutive singles by Rowe and Beasley. A Criswell double cleared the loaded bases with one out giving the Tide a 6-1 lead. Criswell would score on a sacrifice fly by Crystal, and a single to center by Ethan Williams scored Johnson, who had earlier walked to cap the scoring on the inning and increasing the lead to 8-1 Blue Tide.
The Tigers went quietly in the top of the 5th as Crystal sat the lineup down in order.
The Tide increased their lead in the bottom of the 5th to 9-1 when Johnson singled to right scoring Moss. The final 2 runs came when with runners on 2nd and 3rd, A fly ball by Crystal was mishandled by Tiger right fielder Elijah Leiataua. Johnson and Criswell scored on the play and the Tide coasted to an 11-1 win, shortened to 5 innings by the run rule.
The Tide were paced by TJ Criswell’s 3 RBI going 1-3. Johnson and Wells both went 2-3 with an RBI each. Freshman Dwayne Rowe was 2-3 with a run scored and hit the ball with authority each time up. Ethan Williams chipped in an RBI on the night as well.
The Tide will look to continue a new win streak when they travel to Charlton County Thursday – today – for a rematch against Class A 10th ranked Indians. Long County won the first matchup in Ludowici 9-0.