FLOWERY BRANCH — Flowery Branch could not hold an early lead in taking an 8-1 loss to Marist in a key Region 7-4A showdown of top four ranked teams at the Hog Mountain Sports Complex.
The No. 3 Falcons (8-5-1, 2-1 Region 7-4A) fell into a tie for third place with the fouth-ranked War Eagles (11-4, 2-1) with the loss. However, the Branch won the first game of the two-game series 1-0 on last week.
On Tuesday, Marist scored three runs in the second and three more in the fourth off Falcons' starter Zander Sechrist, who took the loss surrendering six runs on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings, striking out nine and walking one.
Connor Larson, JB Bell, and Sechrist each collected one hit for Flowery Branch wit Larson scoring the lone run of the game.
Flowery Branch next will travel to West Hall on Wednesday in another Region 7-4A battle.
