Lanier County and WIlcox County will need a decisive Game 3 in the best-of-three Georgia High School Association Class 1A Division II state championship series.

GHSA Class 1A Division II: Lanier County, Wilcox County split

STATESBORO, Ga. -- A decisive Game 3 will be needed to settle the Georgia High School Association Class 1A Division II state championship after Wilcox County and defending state champion Lanier County split a pair of games in the best-of-three championship series Tuesday night at Georgia Southern's JI Clements Field.

Game 3 will be played Wednesday (May 21) at 6 p.m.

Wilcox County (27-9) won the first game 5-1 before Lanier County roared back in Game 2 to earn a 16-6 mercy-rule victory in six innings.

Lanier grabbed a three-run lead in the first inning of Game 2 before Wilcox came back to tie in the top of the third. Lanier then went ahead 4-3 on an error in the bottom of the third.

The two teams were tied at five in the top of the fifth before Lanier used a four-run fifth inning to break the game open.

The Bulldogs (32-7) erupted for 15 hits with Kendrick Noble finishing with five hits and five RBIs.

In Game 1, Wilcox County ace Johnny Nutt allowed just a run on three hits to outduel Lanier County standout Grant Gano. Tre Griffin's RBI single in the third highlighted a two-run inning to give the Patriots a 2-0 advantage.

Lanier threatened in the sixth inning cutting the lead in half when Ashton Cook scored on a balk after the Bulldogs had loaded the bases. But Nutt got a fly ball to left field to escape further damage.

But what momentum Lanier gained was short-lived as Wilcox scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a commanding lead. Nutt then struck out the side in the top of the seventh to preserve the victory.