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Long County baseball takes on Pierce
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Pierce County 7 Long County 4

The Pierce County Bears downed the Blue Tide last Friday (March 22) in game 3 of the region series in Blackshear with a 3 run rally in the bottom of the 6th inning. With the game tied at 4, the Bears took advantage of 2 walks, 2 singles, and a Tide error in the inning to push across 3 runs. The Tide were retired in order in the top of the 7th to seal the Bear victory.

Both teams came out swinging, scoring 3 runs a piece in the 1st inning. The Tide scored 1 on a bases loaded walk to Joseph Cammack and 2 more on a base hit by Rex Johnson to take a 3-0 lead. But the Bears plated 3 of their own in the bottom of the inning.

The Blue Tide added another run in the 2nd on a squeeze bunt by Ethan Williams that scored Carlos Cruz from third, giving Long County a 4-3 lead. Again, the Bears followed up the Blue Tide run with a single run of their own in the bottom of the inning to tie it up at 4-4.

Ethan Williams (4IP 7H 4R 2ER 2K 1W) got the start on the mound for the Blue Tide. TJ Criswell (2IP 2H 3R 2ER 1K 2BB) came on in the 6th and was saddled with the loss. Luke Echols got the win for Pierce County.

Long County was led at the plate by Rex Johnson (1-3, 2 RBI.) Ethan Williams added an RBI.

The Tide were back in action Monday in Baxley for the 1st of 3 games with the Appling County Pirates.

Appling County 2 Long County 1

For the 5th time in region play in 2019, the Long County Blue Tide lost by virtue of their opponent scoring the deciding run in their last at bat. The Appling County Pirates defended their home field by squeezing out a 2-1 victory over the Tide in a classic pitcher’s duel.

Senior Rex Johnson (6IP 5H 2R 1ER 4K 1BB) turned in another great performance on the mound and deserved a better fate. But Pirate starter Thomas Higgins (7IP 4H 1ER 9K 1BB) was on his game as well, keeping Tide batters off balance all night as the Pirates did just enough to slip past the Tide.

The Pirates took an early lead in the bottom of the 1st inning, managing just 1 hit but taking advantage of 3 Blue Tide errors. The score wouldn’t change again until the bottom of the 6th, when the Pirates scored on a Long County error to take a 2-0 lead. That run would prove to be the game winner.

Long County drew within 1 in the top of the 7th. After a single to start the inning by Allen Crystal, Luke Wells doubled off the left field wall, barely missing a game tying HR. With nobody out and Wells at 2nd base, The Tide were unable to advance him any further and the Pirates escaped with a 2-1 victory.

Wells, Ethan Williams, Crystal, and Dwayne Rowe each had 1 hit for Long County. Wells had the lone RBI with his double in the 7th scoring Crystal.

With the loss, the Blue Tide fall to 10-7 on the year and 2-5 in region play. The Pirates move to 14-3 and 6-1 in region play. The two were back in action Wednesday in Ludowici. 

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