OAKWOOD — West Hall scored 12 runs in the final three innings to rally past Gainesville, 12-5, Wednesday at Spartans Field.
Alex Holman and Braden Simms held the Red Elephants to just four hits and only two earned runs as the Spartans (4-3) ran their win streak to three straight.
Holman got the win going five-plus innings allowing just three hits, walking five and striking out five. Simms got the final six outs surrendering just one hit and fanning five.
However, Gainesville (1-4) struck quick with two runs in the top of the first inning on a two-run single from Ethan Payne. It stayed that way until the fourth when the Spartans exploded.
The Spartans plated six runs in the fourth getting an RBI single from Ryan Svetz, an RBI groundout from Justin Shaffer, Simms broke it open with a two-run triple to give West Hall a 6-2 lead.
West Hall added three more in the fifth and three more in the sixth after Gainesville scored three in the top of the sixth.
Cooper Reid took the loss for Gainesville giving up four hits, walking three, and striking out four in 3 1/3 innings. But only one of the six runs he allowed, and just three of the 12 for the game, were earned as the Gainesville defense committed three big errors.
Simms finished with two hits to lead the West Hall offense. Michael Gaddy, Ryan Svetz, Tyler Maynard, and Kyle Murphy all had one hit for the Spartans.
Victor Vega has two hits to lead Gainesville.
NORTH HALL 2,
NORTH FORSYTH 0
Landon Lee tossed a two-hit, complete-game shutout to lead the Class 3A No. 2-ranked Trojans to a win over the Class 7A ninth-ranked Raiders at Lynn Cottrell Field.
It was the second straight win for North Hall (2-0) over a Region 6-7A team in consecutive days.
Lee fanned seven and outdueled North Forsyth’s Brett Barfield and Cason Engert, who combined to allow just five hits and struck out five.
Lee and Barfield were dealing as the game was scoreless through three innings. North Hall finally broke through in the fourth when Jaret Bales singled and later scored on a wild pitch with one out.
The Trojans added a run in the fifth on another wild pitch scoring Jace Bowen, who had reached earlier in the inning when he was hit by a pitch.
Lee kept the Raiders (3-2) at bay the rest of the way.
Luke Erickson, Jay Johnson, Bales, Bowen, and Bradford Puryear all had one hit for North Hall.
DAWSON COUNTY 12,
MT. PISGAH 11
It was a traditional walk-off win, but the Tigers will take it.
With the game tied at 11 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Dawson County's Nick Mullinax was hit by a pitch with bases loaded, sending Kolton Rucker to home plate for the winning run. It was one of four batters hit by a pitch in the inning, resulting in three runs. The Tigers outscored Mt. Pisgah, 6-5 in the eighth to get the win.
Mt. Pisgah went ahead, 4-0, in the first inning and 6-2 in the fourth.
Mullinax started the Tigers' rally in the bottom of the fifth inning with a two-run home run, scoring Carter Turkett. Later in the inning, Trey Harvey singled to right field, scoring Andrew Burt. The runs cut the lead, 6-5.
Dawson County tied the game two innings later when Luke Mulberry scored off a wild pitch with two outs. The run sent the game into extra innings.
GRAYSON 5,
FLOWERY BRANCH 3
Grayson's Justin Bogard broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning with a double, scoring two runs, which ultimately lifted the Rams to the win on Wednesday.
The Falcons tied the game up in the top of the sixth inning thanks to a Kaleb Freeman triple that scored two runs. Freeman scored on a fielder's choice on the next at-bat to tie the game, 3-3.
Tyler Gray was credited with the victory for the Rams, surrendering three runs on seven hits over six innings and striking out five and walking one. In relief, Grady Bryant threw one inning, recording the last three outs to earn the save for Grayson.
Flowery Branch's Mason Compton started on the hill for the Falcons, allowing three runs on nine hits while striking out three and walking one. But Flowery Branch's Max Wagner, in relief, took the loss, allowing two hits and two runs over one inning, striking out two and walking one.
