The Long County Blue Tide baseball team knew it would take their best game to beat the Calvary Day Cavaliers after falling to them 10-1 on Tuesday, April 1. They welcomed the Cavaliers back on Thursday, April 3 for a doubleheader and ended up splitting the final two games of the region series, winning 6-5 in the opener of the twinbill before falling 17-1 to close the series.
The Tide struck first in the opener, as Jehmiel Pettis’ double to right field with two outs brought in Anthony Bramwell.
Calvary tied the game 1-1 in the third, when a throw to turn a double-play on a bunt went off the mark. The Cavaliers took a 2-1 lead on their third single of the inning.
Following a balk that moved a runner to third base, the Cavs went up 3-1 in the fourth on a sacrifice fly.
In the top of the fourth, the Cavaliers led off with a double before a balk called on Pickens moved him to third. With one out, the Cavaliers added a run on a sacrifice fly to right to make the score 3-1.
The Tide loaded the bases with one out in the fifth but could not score. They loaded the bases again in the sixth and broke through on Braedon Chambless’ RBI single.
Creighton Rogers singled to score two runs and give the Tide the lead for the first time since the second inning. Nick Sizemore followed that up with a double to make the score 6-3 going into the seventh inning.
It would not be a big game for the Tide without some drama. As Sizemore took over on the mound in the top of the seventh, the Tide quickly sat two before a walk and a single put two on for the Cavaliers. Another single loaded the bases and a bloop hit to right field plated two to make it 6-5 with two runners on.
Dylan Lester made the third out as he snagged a pop up to shallow center to take the win and even the series with the Cavaliers 1-1.
In the series finale, the Cavaliers used four hits and two walks to take a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Calvary scored seven runs on six hits in the second to take a 10-0 lead, a two-run homer in the third pushed the lead to 14-0.
Pettis drove in a run with a single in the bottom of the third but the Cavaliers put the game away with three runs in the fourth, leading to a 17-1 mercy-rule win.
The Tide are now 13-9 and finish region play 7-5.
They will close out the regular season Tuesday and Wednesday next week with a home-and-home against former region rival Pierce County. They will start the region crossover tournament on Tuesday, April 15 before state playoffs begin April 25.