TIFTON — All eyes will be on Devil Diamond at 5 p.m. Thursday for the third and deciding game of the second round state baseball series between Tift County and Brunswick. The teams split their doubleheader Wednesday, the Blue Devils walking off a 4-3 win before Brunswick came back for a 4-0 win.
Ty Dorden was the hero in the opener Wednesday, earning his walk-off hit literally in the bottom of the eighth. With a full count and the bases loaded with two outs, Dorden was plunked by a pitch on the arm, bringing home Tyler Holmes.
It was a comeback win for the Devils.
The first four innings were a pitcher’s duel between John Davis and Grant Moore before the Bucs plated three runs in the fifth.
Tae Gadson’s single brought in Logan Graversen for the first run. Jordan Lodise’s double just inside the third base line delivered Dawson Parks and Gadson.
Tift got one run back in the bottom half. Holmes led off with a double at the right field wall. A ground out by Mac Brooks moved him over and Jake Spurlin a sacrifice fly to left field.
One frame later, it was all tied up.
Brady Moretz reached with a walk, then the Devils got a break with one out when a throw to get Tyler VanSumeren went wild. Cam Smith was hit by a pitch and though his courtesy runner, Luke Ellerbee was out on a Holmes grounder, the Pirates couldn’t turn two and Moretz scored.
Brooks was hit to re-load the bases. Spurlin worked the count to 3-1, the watched a pitch go high to bring in VanSumeren.
The seventh went by quietly. Brunswick had two runners on with one out, but Will Pridgen got a grounder to Moretz at shortstop. Moretz flipped to Holmes at second who made a tough turn to a stretching Mason Grist at first to complete the double play.
Pridgen caught a man looking to end the eighth and Tift had its shot.
Brunswick almost made it to the ninth. Moore, still in there, got two quick outs before Holmes earned a walk. His pitch count was almost at its limit and the Pirates went to the pen.
Brooks got a break on an infield error, then Spurlin extended the inning a little longer with a walk. That brought up Dorden and he took a lump to win the game for the Blue Devils.
Pridgen pitched the last three innings to earn the win. He struck out three while Davis fanned five.
BRUNSWICK 4, TIFT 0
The Bucs scored all of their runs over the first three innings: Two in the first and two in the third. Both pitchers — Ryan Whitley and Lodise — posted zeroes the rest of the way.
Tift struggled with Lodise, who fanned eight in a complete game while surrendering five hits. Only twice did the Blue Devils reach as far as second. Davis did in the first before being thrown out attempting to take an extra base. Moretz stole second in the fourth after a single.
After a couple of shaky early innings, Whitley was just as solid. He struck out seven and hung in there the rest of the way to save the bullpen for game three.
Brunswick started hot, runners at first and third with no outs following a walk to Gadson and a single by Ryan Thomas. Lodise hit a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead. With two on and one out, Thomas scored on a fielder’s choice by Moore.
In the third, Lodise and Roland Chance started with back-to-back singles. With the bases loaded, Graversen shot a ball past a diving Moretz to drive in both.
Over the two games, Davis and Dorden each had two hits.