GAINESVILLE - The North Hall girls softball team rose to the challenge Thursday, beating Chestatee for the second time in 2003 to advance to the semifinals of the Region 7-AAA Tournament at Lanier Point Park.
The Class AAA third-ranked Lady Trojans (24-4) used a four-run second inning to grab the lead and then held off the No. 6-ranked War Eagles (17-11).
North Hall will face Pickens, ranked fourth, at 10 a.m. Saturday for a spot in the finals. Pickens advanced to the semifinals with its second 1-0 win over Flowery Branch.
Chestatee and Flowery Branch, however, both advanced to the state tournament with big wins in the loser's bracket. Chestatee whipped White County while Flowery Branch beat West Hall, which advanced to the state semifinals last year.
Haley Bower outdueled Chestatee's Brooke Puckett on the mound. North Hall, which has now won 13 straight since losing to Dawson County in the Lanier Point Tournament last month, pounded out nine hits, including home runs by Bower and Kristi Underwood in the crucial second inning.
North Hall and Pickens played a classic game earlier this month with the Trojans rallying from behind three times to win 6-5 in extra innings.
"That was a great game," North Hall coach Roger Fannon said. "I expect (Saturday's) game will be like that one. It should be a lot of fun."
In the loss to Pickens, Flowery Branch's Holli Lewis pitched another superb game. She and the Lady Falcons have lost six 1-0 games this year.
The Dragons' Whitney Propes, considered by many the top softball prospect in Georgia, was the difference pitching a complete-game and then scoring the winning run on a steal of third and then coming home on the wild throw into left field.
In other action Thursday, West Hall beat Johnson and then East Hall before falling to Flowery Branch.
East Hall beat Gainesville before losing to West Hall. Fannin County beat Gilmer but then fell to White County. The Warriors were then dispatched by Chestatee.
Monday
June 30th, 2025
4:55PM
