Morgan County wins first baseball title with sweep of Pierce County
Caylem Richardson pitched 8 1/3 innings across two games, allowing two hits and one run, to lead Morgan County to a sweep of the Class 2A baseball championship series against Pierce County in Statesboro.
The state title is Morgan County’s first in baseball, 24th in all sports and third this academic year after volleyball and boys’ basketball.
In Game 1, which began Saturday with one inning played before rain postponed the conclusion until Monday, Morgan County won 6-4 after scoring four runs in the sixth inning.
Two walks and a hit batter started it, and singles by Ty Tillery and Hudson Reed scored the go-ahead runs.
Richardson, a Gordon State signee, pitched the final four innings, allowing one hit.
Richardson started Game 2 and went 4 1/3 innings before reaching his GHSA pitch limit. He allowed one hit and struck out eight.
Tyler Mull and Davis Strickland retired all eight batters they faced in relief. Strickland, the football team’s quarterback who has signed with West Georgia, struck out the side in the seventh.
The deciding game was scoreless until the fifth, when Hudson Reed homered to left field.
Morgan County scored eight runs in the sixth. Drew Ainslie got the rally going with a single to left center. He later doubled in three runs as Morgan County batted around.
Morgan County finished 36-4. Pierce County was 33-6.
Game 1 box score
Game 2 box score
