Bradwell Institute’s baseball team recalled how Effingham County shut them down, 13-0, when the teams battled in a Region 3-AAAAA contest March 10.
However, the Tigers were determined to give the Rebels a run for their money Tuesday at Tiger Field. Bradwell had the lead for most of the game before the Rebels scored four runs in the seventh inning for the 9-6 win.
“Effingham is a good ball club, and the fact that we pretty much outplayed them all the way up until the final inning hopefully will give us the confidence that we need in order to succeed,” Tiger coach Jeff Polk said.
BI starting pitcher Sage Sammons went four innings, earning two strikeouts and walking two batters. He gave up five hits and five runs.
Stephen Felton pitched the final three innings, earning two strikeouts, walking three batters and giving up seven hits and four runs, three of which were earned.
BI’s Ryan Desbiens, who doubled, scored a run in the first inning to tie the game, 1-1. In the second inning, Sammons and Hunter Jackson both were hit by pitches to prime the offense as the Tigers closed the inning with a 4-1 lead. Bradwell added two more runs in the third inning to go up 6-1.
The Rebels staged a comeback in the fourth inning, bringing in four runs but trailed, 6-5, until the top of the seventh inning. A Bradwell error and solid hitting by the Rebels allowed the visitors to add four more runs for the win. The Tigers committed three errors in the game, and the Rebels capitalized on them.
“We are a solid ball club, but we haven’t played a complete game just yet,” Polk said. “The 2,3,4,5 spots in the region are all within a game or two, and I have stressed to our guys the importance of winning these region games so that we will be in good standing come playoff time.”
BI’s Maxwell Ashe was 2 for 4 with a double and three runs batted in. Chris Bell was 2 for 4 with one RBI. Jackson was 1 for 1 with one RBI. Felton was 1 for 2 with one RBI. Chris Nun and Brandon Woodard both were 2 for 3.
The Tigers were to play Ware County on Thursday at home in a contest rescheduled from a game called due to weather. Results were not available by press time.
Bradwell was scheduled to host Groves tonight, but the Garden City team had to forfeit due to a lack of players.
In other baseball news, Liberty County High School fell, 12-0, in five innings Tuesday at Wayne County. Official stats had not been posted by press time.
The Panthers, 2-10 overall and 0-6 in Region 3A-AAAA, play at 6 tonight at Statesboro High.
First Presbyterian Christian Academy suffered a 12-2 loss Tuesday at David Emanuel Academy. The Highlanders were scheduled host David Emanuel in a rematch Thursday and will host Frederica at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. As of Wednesday, the Highlanders were 3-5 overall and 2-3 in Region 2-AA.