DAHLONEGA — Matthew Grizzle’s walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning lifted the Lumpkin County baseball team past Region 7-3A leader North Hall, 5-4, Thursday afternoon at home.
The win dropped the Trojans (13-9, 12-3) into a tie with Fannin County, who swept Cherokee Bluff in a doubleheader on Thursday.
As for Lumpkin, although a big win, leaves the Indians (11-11, 6-9) on the outside looking in for a playoff spot with two weeks left in the regular season.
Grizzle, however, had the last laugh on Thursday when he ripped a two-out single to right field scoring Braylen Chastain and Nic Turner to upset the Trojans. He finished the day 1-for-2 with two RBIs.
Dalton Stephens went the distance for the Indians, giving up three earned runs on seven hits while striking out eight Trojans.
The game seemed to be in control for the Trojans. They hammered out to quick runs to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Jackson Dyer drove in Caleb Wiley and David Seavey scored on a wild pitch in the inning.
The Trojans added a run in the third inning off an error at home plate and one in the top of the sixth to take a 4-0 advantage.
Lumpkin’s bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth inning. Chastain started the inning with a double to left field. A batter later, he scored off an error by the Trojans. Later in the inning, Connor Pierce ripped a hard ground ball to left field, scoring Turner and Dalton Caldwell. The runs closed the gap, 4-3, going to the final inning.
Stephens and the Indian defense sat the Trojans down in order in the top of the seventh inning to give them a chance to rally in the bottom.
Lumpkin reached on an error, walk and a single in the bottom of the seventh before Grizzle drove in the winning runs.
North Hall faces a three-game series against Region 7-3A co-leader Fanning County. The Trojans will travel to Fannin on Tuesday at 5:55 p.m.
Lumpkin will host Union County Monday at 5:55 p.m.
