LUDOWICI -- They say everything is better in Metter. Well, after Wednesday night you could say everything was live in Ludowici.

This is because the Long County Blue Tide baseball team pulled off a walkoff win against the Metter Tigers, the defending A Public state champions. In the game, it was all about defense for the Tide and costly mistakes for the Tigers as the home team scored three of their four runs on errors and a walk.

Sophomore Landon Runyon started the game on the mound for the Tide and it looked as though the Tigers were going to jump out to a commanding lead in the early part of the game.

The Tigers got their first runner on base after a four-pitch walk. The Tigers eventually got on the board first with a double after their first runner was moved up on a sacrifice.

After a Runyon strikeout, the Tigers scored again on their second hit of the inning to go up 2-0.

It was the Tide’s turn to hit in the bottom half of the inning and senior Brennan Lee started things off the right way with a double.

Senior Cole Moss was hit by a pitch and Jacob Struble followed that up with an impressive bunt down the third base line to load the bases with no outs.

Senior Daniel Edwards got on his horses to beat out a throw at first to avoid a double play and score the Tide’s first run of the game. The Tide could not add to their lead, however, after a double play on the next batter as the Tigers led 2-1 going into the second.

The Tigers looked as if they would get a few more runs after a pair of walks and a single loaded the bases with one out.

However, shortstop Moss came up big for the Tide after he made a leaping catch on a line drive and got the double play at second to get out of the jam.

The score remained 2-1 going into the third and the Tigers wanted to change that. A double got a runner in scoring position, but Runyon almost made a costly error for the Tide.

He stepped off the mound and tried to pick off the runner at second, but there was no one there as the ball sailed into center. Struble was there, however, as he made a great throw to third to get the second out of the inning.

Runyon finished off his day with a strikeout as the Tide came up to bat.

Lee was able to get on base after an error and Moss moved him up with a sacrifice single. Struble walked as Edwards came up to bat with Lee on third.

A pitch nearly hit Edwards as it got to the backstop, allowing Lee to score and tie the game.

The next pitch did hit Edwards and Joseph Cammack walked to load the bases with two outs. A close call at first for senior Blake Holland seemingly scored the Tide’s third run, but he was called out as the score remained tied.

Junior Gio Jackson took the mound and started off hot with three strikeouts. He led off the fourth as well but was not able to get on base.

Freshman Nick Sizemore singled, and it looked like sophomore Shannon Filkins would do the same, but a diving grab by the centerfield was good for the second out as the score remained tied at two.

Jackson walked two straight to open the fifth and a hit gave the Tigers a 3-2 lead. The Tigers could not get anything else going as the Tide looked to tie the game up in the bottom of the inning.

Moss walked and Struble moved him up with a sacrifice. Edwards did the same as Moss was on third with two outs.

Cammack came back up to bat as they looked to tie the game. A pickoff attempt at third went awry as the ball flew into third, allowing Moss to tie the game going into the sixth and eventually the seventh.

Jackson stayed hot as he recorded his fifth and sixth strikeouts to keep the Tigers off the bases and off the board.

Struble opened the bottom of the seventh with a walk and Edwards got on base with a single. Cammack walked as well with no outs as it looked like the Tide were in position to put the game away. 

Freshman Kenny Pickens came up to pinch hit. He never got the hit but walked to score the final run of the game, giving the Tide the walkoff walk win.

The Tide move to 2-0 on the year as Jackson got the win with one earned run, four walks, one hit and six strikeouts in four innings or work.

They travel to Darien to take on McIntosh County Academy in a rematch on Thursday, Feb. 17 and return home on Friday, Feb. 25 to take on the Bacon County Raiders.