BUFORD — In an early battle for first place in Region 8-6A, Buford scored in the bottom of the eighth inning to take a thrilling 2-1 win over Habersham Central on Thursday at the Buford Softball Complex.
Senior Emmy Hall doubled to left scoring Abi Perkins for the game-winner. That came after Hall had gunned down a Lady Raiders' runner at the plate from the outfield in the top of the eighth to end the inning and keep the game tied.
The win pushed Buford (6-2, 3-0 Region 8-6A) into first place in the region. Habersham Central fell to 8-3, 2-2 in region play.
Meanwhile, freshman Emma Grace Williams improved to 4-0 in the circle for the Lady Wolves going the distance scattering seven hits, walking two, and fanning five. She retired the first nine Habersham batters and Buford took the first lead with a run in the third got on an RBI single from Hall.
The Lady Raiders' Kyla Quiles matched Williams in the circle keeping it a 1-0 Buford lead going into the sixth. Habersham tied the score in the sixth inning with an RBI hit from Kilee Thomas, her second hit of the game, scoring Taylor Wade, who also had two hits on the day. Quiles allowed just five hits and fanned six in 7 1/3 innings in taking the loss.
In her first varsity start for Buford, freshman Tayve Borders recorded two hits and two stolen bases.
Weather permitting, Buford will continue Region 8-6A play on Friday traveling to Lanier. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.
Habersham Central will be back in action on Tuesday traveling to Dacula in Region 8-6A action.
FLOWERY BRANCH 8,
EAST HALL 1
JEFFERSON 9,
MADISON COUNTY 5
Jefferson scored seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally for a huge Region 8-4A victory at home Thursday night.
The Lady Dragons (3-2, 2-1 Region 8-4A) trailed 4-0 after the second inning as the Lady Red Raiders jumped on starter Ravyn Saxon early. Saxon settled down after that lasting into the sixth inning allowing five runs on six hits.
Jefferson cut the lead to 4-2 with a pair of runs in the third but Madison County extended its lead to 5-2 in the top of the sixth.
In the bottom of the sixth, Abby Beatty homered to lead off the inning for Jefferson to cut the lead to 5-3. After the Lady Dragons loaded the bases, Anslee Pittman and Paige Kelly both singled in runs and Livi Blackstock walked to drive in the eventual go-ahead run for a 6-5 advantage. Beatty then ripped a two-RBI double for two extra-base hits and three RBI in the inning. Blackstock later scored on a passed ball for the final run.
NORTH HALL 8,
DAWSON COUNTY 7
North Hall built a 7-0 lead and then had to hold off a furious Dawson County rally in getting a big Region 7-3A victory at home on Thursday.
The Lady Trojans led 3-0 after the first inning on a two-RBI double from Macy Slater and an RBI single from Bre Stowers. The Lady Trojans extended the lead to 5-0 in the second inning. In the fourth North Hall pushed the lead to 7-0 on an RBI groundout from Slater and an RBI single from Caroline Cape.
Dawson County then began to chip away. The Lady Tigers scored a run in the fifth on an RBI hit from Lauren Kurtz and got five in the sixth on an error and four straight RBI hits to pull within 8-6.
Dawson County closed to 8-7 in the seventh but could not get the equalizer as Kendal Clackum closed out the game for North Hall, getting the final two outs for the save.
Stowers got the win for the Lady Trojans surrendering 10 hits but just two earned runs as she worked around two errors.
COMMERCE 9,
LINCOLN COUNTY 1
Rachel Morgan tossed a two-hitter and struck out eight in leading the Lady Tigers to a Region 8-A win on the road Thursday.
Commerce led 4-1 after the third inning but scored five in the fifth to invoke the run rule. Morgan set down the Lady Red Devils in order in the bottom of the inning to end the game.
Kylee Taylor had three hits and Carson Hobbs and Emma Davis each had two hits and combined for three RBI for the Lady Tigers. Paige Vickery had a hit and three RBI for Commerce.
UNION COUNTY 13,
FANNIN COUNTY 0
The Lady Panthers pounded out 11 hits in taking a non-region win over the rival Lady Rebels in just three innings.
Union County scored twice in the first, six times in the second, and invoked the run-rule with five more in the third.
Hannah Patton, Caley Davis, and Ansley Collins each had two hits on the day to lead the Union County offense. Patton added three RBI as well.
Trinity Queen and Sierra Burnette combined for a no-hitter in the shortened contest while combining for eight strikeouts.
