DACULA, Ga. — Buford built a 5-0 lead and then held on to beat Dacula, 5-4, to win the Region 8-7A title on Monday.
The game was a winner-take-all for the region title after the two teams had split the first two games of their series.
Nate Taylor allowed four runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings, striking out nine to get the win. Damian Brown came on in relief to get the final out to earn the save
The Wolves (17-12, 11-4 Region 8-7A) will take the No. 1 seed from 8-7A into the state tournament, which begins on Saturday. The Falcons (19-9, 10-5 Region 8-7A) will be the No. 2 seed.
Taylor also led the charge at the plate, blasting a two-run home run in the first to give Buford the quick lead. The Wolves added a run in the second on a Blake Russell home run, and scored single runs in the third and fifth to lead 5-0.
Dacula mounted a huge rally in the sixth with four runs on a two-run single and a two-run triple. But Taylor was able to get out of the inning, stranding the tying run at third. He and Brown retired the final five Dacula batters to preserve the win.
FLOWERY BRANCH 14,
HERITAGE-CONYERS 10
The Falcons closed out their Region 8-5A schedule on Monday with a big win on the road.
The victory for the Falcons (18-10, 8-4 Region 8-5A) put them in third place in the standings. A Jefferson loss to Loganville on Tuesday would clinch the No. 3 seed for Branch and push the Dragons down to fourth.
Branch used a big eight-run fifth-inning to blow the game open. Riley Mitchell and Kade Smallwood combined for five hits and six RBI to lead a 10-hit attack for the Falcons. Aaron Attaway had a hit and two RBI for Branch.
BANKS COUNTY 20,
UNION COUNTY 3
The Leopards kept pace with Providence Christian for second place in Region 8-2A with a huge win on Monday on the road.
Banks County (16-10, 9-4 Region 8-2A) led 8-0 going into the final inning but exploded for 12 runs in the seventh.
In the big inning, Blake Holcomb highlighted things with a grand slam for a 17-0 lead. Caine Griffith, Nolan Angel, and Austin Anderson all drove in runs in the frame.
Union County (2-25, 2-11 Region 8-2A) scored all three of its runs in the bottom of the seventh. Maddox Patton, Hunter Fleming, and Hayden Hughes all had RBIs in the inning.
The two teams will close out the regular season with a doubleheader on Thursday in Homer. The Leopards can grab the No. 2 seed if they can sweep the Panthers and get a Providence Christian (13-13, 9-4 Region 8-2A) loss to East Jackson in a doubleheader with the Eagles on Wednesday in Commerce.
APALACHEE 16,
JACKSON COUNTY 7
Traver Park had four hits, Judah Powell blasted a three-run home run, and the Wildcats took over sole possession of second place in Region 8-6A with a road win in Hoschton on Monday.
Apalachee (15-12, 11-6 Region 8-6A) leads both Jackson County (13-16, 10-7 Region 8-6A) and Lanier (17-9, 10-7 Region 8-6A) by one game with one game left in region play after their eighth straight win.
The Wildcats led just 3-2 heading into the third when they exploded for seven runs, capped by Powell’s blast, to pull away for a 10-2 lead. The Panthers scored two runs each in the third and fourth to climb back within 10-6, but Apalachee answered with two in the fifth, one in the sixth, and three more in the seventh.
Apalachee closes out its season on Wednesday against Gainesville at Ivey-Watson field. A win for the Wildcats will clinch the No. 2 spot.
Jackson County will play host to region title-winner North Forsyth on Wednesday.
LOGANVILLE 7,
JEFFERSON 3
The Class 5A ninth-ranked Dragons had their five-game win streak with a tough loss to the third-ranked Red Devils on Monday at home.
Loganville (21-7, 11-0 Region 8-5A) jumped out to 7-0 lead with three runs in the second and two each in the third and fourth.
Jefferson (18-7, 7-4 Region 8-5A) got a two-run home run from Jase Peoples in the fourth and scored one in the fifth but could not get closer.
Jordan Johnson got the win for Loganville going 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on one hit and striking out three. Johnson had three hits and an RBI for the Red Devils.
Eston Simpson took the loss for Jefferson surrendering seven runs on five hits over 3 2/3 innings, striking out three.
Bowman Horn had two of Jefferson’s three hits.
