Houston County and Brunswick turned out to be pretty good salespersons in their Class AAAAAA best two-out-of-three state tournament matchup Friday. That is by way of “insurance”. Both used a little bit of it in the seventh to preserve wins.
For the Pirates, it was a five-run seventh that helped preserve an 8-2 win in Game 1. For the Bears, it was a seven-run seventh that went a long way in clinching a 10-5 win in Game 2. Combined, they mean the two will meet again in the deciding Game 3 at 1 p.m. today.
Back to the games, five runs in an 8-2 finish might seem like overkill, but not if you consider the fact Houston County actually had the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh. Had it been actually to get a clutch hit and the Pirates not have put those runs on the board, who knows: things might have been different. Same with Game 2. The score was tied at 3 when the Bears put up those seven runs. Had they not, the Pirates, with their two in the bottom half of the inning, would have flipped that result.
Granted, the game was arguably won and/or lost in between. Toward that end, Houston County struck first in Game 1. It put two runs on the board in the third. Connor Martin (1-2) was hit by a pitch and Jacob Profit (1-3) reached on an error to start things off. Martin was eliminated by Chandler Dawson’s (0-5) fielder’s choice but Corbet Luna (1-3) walked to load the bases. Cameron Jones (1-2) then singled home Profit and Dawson.
Brunswick used a leadoff double, a walk and single to get one of those back, and then went out front 3-2 with two in the fifth.
The Bears could do nothing with a two-out single in the fourth and may have taken themselves out of an inning in the fifth. Dawson reached on an error to start the inning. Luna singled. Dylan Tabor reached on an error, but during that same play Dawson was thrown out at home. Two strikeouts followed.
Houston County also stranded two in the sixth whereas Brunswick went one-two-three prior to that.
Harrison Trawick worked all seven inning for the Pirates. He gave up eight hits – the Bears had likewise – while striking out four and walking one. Houston County used three in their effort. Jones worked four and a third. He gave up four hits and three runs. He struck out six and walked three. Tabor worked two innings, gave up three hits and five runs. He also struck out four and walked three. Jackson Jones worked the final two-thirds of an inning. He gave up a hit and no runs while fanning one and walking one.
Houston County got the scoring started in Game 2 – playing the visitor this time – with a pair of runs. Dawson singled. (Dawson was 3-4 with a walk and two RBIs.) He made it to second on a passed ball, third on a groundout, then scored on an error when Jones’ (2-5 with two RBIs) ground ball was misplayed. Jones stole second, and following a popup, came in on Ring’s single. (Ring was 2-3 with three RBIs.)
Ring worked six and two-thirds innings, but he got off to a rough start. He walked the first two hitters – eight free passes in all. The next reached on an error and then he walked in a run. He struck out two after that, but unfortunately there was a hit sandwiched in between that enabled two to score. There was also a hit after the second “K” that brought in the third run to make it 3-2, Brunswick.
The Bears tied it on Profit’s single – he was 2-3 with an RBI – and Dawson’s double that brought him home.
The two had a smattering of runners over the next two innings, but neither could turn them into runs.
Houston County’s seventh began with a single by Jones. R.J. Preston walked and Ring singled. Jones had advanced to third on a passed ball, so that enabled him to score. Tabor singled and Connor Martin was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Profit then walked to bring in Jake Maddox, who pinch ran for Ring. Dawson singled to bring home Woods. Luna followed suit and drove in Martin. Jones also singled. Profit scored on it and finally Preston’s fielder’s choice enabled Rowell, who came in to run for Dawson, to score.
All told, the Bears out-hit Brunswick 12-5. Ring finished with five hits and five runs given up. He also struck out eight. Blake King worked a third of an inning – perfect across the board
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