The Long County Lady Blue Tide softball team dropped a little further out of contention for the Region 2-AAA title on Tuesday when they fell to the top team in the region Pierce County by a score of 2-1. 

The Lady Tide, who dropped their first meeting with Pierce County in Blackshear 4-3 earlier this season, held off the Bears for the first two innings of the contest thanks to some great pitching by sophomore Trista Murphy and the defense behind her. The Bears came into the game averaging nearly seven runs a game. 

Long County got on the board first in the bottom of the third when Maddie Burkhalter, who was walked in her at-bat, scored from second base after the Bears committed a costly error at first base on an Ajmanni Jefferson shot to the shortstop with two outs. 

Pierce County, however, quickly answered in the top of the fourth. Kylee Royer opened the inning with a double to the left field fence and was moved to third on a Tristen Blocker double. 

Makayla Pitts walked to load the bases with one out on the board and Ansleigh Clough brought home two runs on a fielder’s choice to give her team the 2-1 lead, an eventual final for the Bears. 

Bears pitcher Natalie Herrin was clutch on the mound for the Bears the last four innings, allowing just one hit and no runs. Murphy was just as clutch for the Tide, striking out three and allowing just one hit over the last three innings, but the defensive effort was not enough as the Tide fell 2-1. 

The Tide fall to 6-10 and 1-4 in the region with the loss while Pierce moves to 12-7 and 6-0 in region play. 

Long County traveled to McIntosh County on Wednesday, Liberty County on Thursday and will host Tattnall County on Saturday at 11 a.m. in the two teams’ third attempt to play in Ludowici.