Bradwell Institute and Effingham County High traded hit for hit Monday afternoon on Tiger Field, with the visiting Rebels winning the Region 3-AAAAA contest 17-12.
The game was the first of a three-game series between the teams this week.
The Rebels led 2-0 in the first inning, but Tigers DJ Jefferson and Maxwell Ashe scored, and Chris Bell came home off a double from Ryan Desbiens, who stole home a few minutes later. Darrius Tilghman scored a run to give the home team a 5-2 lead.
Desbiens converted a double play and Brandon Woodward made a big play at first, but the Rebels found the soft spots and tied the game 5-5.
The Tigers retaliated scoring two more runs in the fourth inning to lead 7-5, but Effingham had a fifth-inning rally to take a 12-7 lead and control the game.
BI coach Jeff Polk said both teams fought hard and that he was impressed with the no-quit play from his team.
Official stats from Monday’s game had not been posted by press time. The loss comes after the Tigers took an 11-7 win in a non-region game held in Pooler this past Saturday at New Hampstead.
On Saturday, BI scored twice in the first inning, but the Phoenix scored five runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 5-2 lead going into the second inning.
The Tigers came back with two runs in the second and one run each in the third and fourth to tie the game at 6-6. The Phoenix added a run for a 7-6 lead, but Bradwell drove in four runs in the sixth inning and one in the seventh to clinch the victory.
BI’s Evan Crystal was 4 for 4 with three RBIs. DJ Jefferson and Stephen Felton each went 3 for 4 with two RBIs. Ryan Desbiens was 1 for 3 with one RBI, and Darrius Tilghman had an RBI.
Darrell Hawkins pitched the first three innings for Bradwell, giving up on five runs on six hits, walking three and striking out four. Jefferson allowed two runs and a walk in two innings. Desbiens closed the game with four strikeouts and no hits in two innings.
The Tigers, 6-12 overall and 0-10 in the region, play tonight at Effingham County and host Effingham for game three at 6 p.m. Friday.
Friday’s game will honor the Tiger seniors.