Jeff Hart

Class 4A No. 1 Johnson completed another perfect region record on Friday, beating East Hall 3-1 at East Hall Stadium.

Matt Olson doubled three times, including a bases-loaded drive in a seven-run eighth inning that rallied the NL East champion Atlanta Braves past the Philadelphia Phillies 9-3 in Friday's season opener.

There are just a handful of games set to hit the pitch on Friday but none will draw more attention than when the Johnson and East Hall boys meet in Valhalla.

Several key series in multiple regions across northeast Georgia will conclude on Friday.

Cherokee Bluff clinched the Region 8-4A title with a dominating 5-1 win over North Oconee on Thursday at Yonah Field.

The North Hall boys and girls tennis teams both advanced to the semifinals of the Region 8-4A tournament and also earned spots to the Class 4A playoffs next month.

One girls region title will be decided and one team in Region 7-3A could put themselves on the path to a region title in a pair of monster showdowns on Thursday.

A pair of key Region 7-3A series will highlight a light day on the diamond around Northeast Georgia on Thursday.

East Forsyth used a six-run second inning to blow open a close game en route to an 8-4 win over No. 2 Cherokee Bluff at home on Wednesday.

The Atlanta Braves will open the 2024 campaign on Thursday in the exact same place they finished the 2023 season.