BAXLEY, Ga. – Dawson Griffis blew open the game in the 11th inning to lead Appling County to a 6-3 Game 2 victory over Cherokee Bluff on Monday.
The three-run home run was part of a four-run flurry in the top of the 11th inning for the Pirates and even the series at a game apiece.
Game 3 is scheduled for Tuesday at 4 p.m. in Baxley.
The Bears had a bases-loaded opportunity in the seventh and left two runners on in the bottom of the 11th but couldn’t score to walk off with the win.
Harrison Simmons and Jason Larsen combined to one-hit the Bears in Game 2, allowing three runs – one earned – and 15 total strikeouts. Simmons recorded 10 Ks.
CHEROKEE BLUFF 13,
APPLING COUNTY 12 8 inn
It looked as if Cherokee Bluff was going to stroll past Appling County in Game 1 of the Class 3A quarterfinals on Monday.
Then the fourth inning happened.
Up 11-4, the Bears committed six errors that lead to seven runs, and Appling County tied the game and took the lead in the bottom of the seventh.
But the Bears scored a run in the seventh and held Appling scoreless in the bottom to force extra innings.
And in the top of the eighth inning, Jacob Vokal came through with an RBI single to left field bringing Ty Corbin home from second for the go-ahead run, 13-12.
Clay Tyas preserved the Bears’ lead in the bottom of the inning to knock off Appling County, 13-12, and take a 1-0 lead in the best of three series.
If the Bears win Game 2, they’ll advance to their first-ever semifinals on Saturday.
Vokal, Corbin, Brody Beal, Dylan Kautz and Bryce England had productive bats in Game one, combining for nine RBIs on 11 hits. England recorded three RBIs, while Kautz and Vokal drove in two runs apiece.
Cherokee Bluff threw four pitchers at the Pirates, Braxton Beal got the start and the win, going 3 1/3 innings. Lucas Tritt tossed one inning, Tyler Zawacki got two innings of work, and Tyas pitched 1 2/3s innings.
