FLOWERY BRANCH — No. 4 Cherokee Bluff avenged Monday's loss to West Hall with a 7-1 rout of the Spartans at home on Thursday.
The Bears (9-4, 1-1 Region 7-3A) opened the game with a three-run first inning, thanks to a Ben Jenkins RBI double and Bryce England's two-run homer to take an early 3-0 lead over the Spartans (11-4, 4-1 Region 7-3A).
In the fifth inning, Clay Tyas jumpstarted the Bears' offense with an RBI double that scored Ty Corbin, who singled to start the inning. A couple of batters later, Tyas scored on a Caleb Piland line out to left field, the Lucas Tritt doubled to center, scoring Ben Jenkins and Jacob Vokal.
West Hall's Kyle Murphy drove in the Spartans' only run in the sixth inning.
Dylan Kautz earned the win, allowing just one hit in six innings while fanning 12 Spartans.
NORTH HALL 14,
LUMPKIN COUNTY 4
The second-ranked Trojans (10-3, 5-0 Region 7-3A) were never in trouble against rival Lumpkin County, busting out to a 9-0 lead after the first inning and rolling to the win at Lynn Cottrell Field.
It was the Trojans' second straight victory this week over the Indians (4-10, 0-5 Region 7-3A). They'll go for three in a row on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 5:55 p.m.
Caleb Childs was a bright spot for the Indians with a grand slam in the third inning. Cooper Scott was 2-for-3 and Harper Davenport and Riley Lee had one hit each.
Eli Reece led the Trojans at the play with a 3-for-4 performance and three RBIs. Jaret Bales was 2-for-3 with three RBIs, Tate Brooks was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, Cooper Helton nailed two hits in two at-bats and drove in two runs.
Bales earned the win going five innings, allowing four runs on four hits and eight strikeouts.
BUFORD 10, 13
HAB CENTRAL 1, 0
The top-ranked Wolves (16-0, 9-0 Region 8-6A) scored a combined eight runs in the sixth and seventh innings to win Game 1 of the doubleheader against Habersham Central (6-8, 5-4 Region 8-6A) and scattered 13 runs over four innings to run-rule Raiders, 13-0, in Game 2.
Treyton Rank was the winning pitcher in Game 1, going four innings, allowing one run on three hits and four strikeouts. He helped his cause with a 2-for-5, two-RBI performance at the plate. Jackson Gaspard pitched three perfect innings while striking out six.
Gaspard was 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Brant Baughcum, Riley Stanford and Brett Rogers had two hits each.
In Game 2, Jax Brockett allowed just one hit over five innings and six strikeouts. Riley Stanford was 3-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs, and Dylan Lesko was 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Ayden Digiacomo and Standford also drove in two runs.
WALNUT GROVE 13,
JOHNSON 1
Walnut Grove slowly built its lead, scoring five runs over three innings, then exploding for six runs in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth to run-rule the Knights (1-9, 0-2 Region 8-5A) in Region 8-5A play.
Tristen Nguygen scored the Knights lone run in the bottom of the third inning off an error. Nguygen was 1-for-2. Cole Farmer also was 1-for-2.
