GAINESVILLE — Hunter Brooks scattered three hits and fanned two in six innings in leading North Hall to a 9-0 win over White County in a key Region 7-3A series finale on Friday at Lynn Cottrell Field.
The win gave the Class 3A No. 1-ranked Trojans (13-4, 8-1 Region 7-3A) the season series win over the Warriors (12-5, 7-2 Region 7-3A) and moved into sole possession of first place. White County dropped into second place with the loss.
It was a tight game early as the Trojans led just 2-0 after the third inning. But North Hall exploded for seven runs in the fourth inning.
The North Hall offense roughed up White County starter Caleb Reddy for three runs on four hits in three-plus innings and Blake Kelly was not able to record an out in the fourth giving up six runs on three hits and two walks.
In the big fourth inning, Tate Brooks, Jay Johnson, and Luke Erickson all had RBI hits. Hudson Barrett drove in a run getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Jace Bowen knocked in a run on a fielder's choice groundout. Eli Reece had a sacrifice fly for an RBI as well.
Caleb Gee and Seth Stonecypher pitched the final three innings for White County allowing just two hits combined.
Landon Davis closed out the game for North Hall striking out one.
North Hall is off from region play next week but will play host to Class 4A No. 1 North Oconee on Tuesday.
White County travels to Gilmer on Monday to open a three-game Region 7-3A series.
BUFORD 3,
DACULA 0
Dylan Lesko and Jax Brockett combined on a two-hitter to lead the Class 6A No. 1-ranked Wolves to the Region 8-6A series sweep over the Falcons Friday at Gerald McQuaig Field.
Buford (20-0, 12-0 Region 8-6A) got all it needed in the first inning when Lesko stroked a two-run single in the inning. Lesko also added a sacrifice fly in the third for all three RBI for the game.
On the mound, Lesko went five innings allowing two just two Dacula singles while fanning six. He walked five. Brockett went the final two innings allowing no hits and striking out four of the six batters he faced.
WEST HALL 4,
GILMER 1
Kyle Murphy tossed a complete-game one-hitter to lead the Spartans to a Region 7-3A road win.
Murphy fanned eight and walked four. The Gilmer only run came on a fielder’s choice bunt in the fifth scoring the runner from second.
The win gave West Hall (14-5, 7-2 Region 7-3A) the series sweep over the Bobcats. The Spartans, however, remained in fourth place by percentage points behind Cherokee Bluff.
The Spartans scored single runs in the second, third, fourth, and sixth innings.
Braden Simms, Tyler Maynard, and Evan Connor all had two hits for West Hall. Justin Shaffer, Murphy, and Michael Gaddy each had one hit for the Spartans.
West Hall next will open a series at home against Lumpkin County on Monday.
CHEROKEE BLUFF 16,
LUMPKIN COUNTY 4 (5 inn)
The Bears exploded for 14 first inning runs en route to a Region 7-3A win in five innings.
Class 3A fifth-ranked Bluff (13-4, 5-1 Region 7-3A) pounded out nine hits and walks in the inning, capped by a grand slam from Brody Beal. The Bears finished with 12 hits on the day.
Lumpkin County scored one run in second and three in the fourth but could get no closer.
Beal finished with two hits, Ben Jenkins had two hits and three RBI and Bryce England had two hits and two RBI for Bluff. Dylan Kautz, Jacob Vokal, Lucas Tritt, Max Eubanks, Caleb Piland, and Reece Chambers each had one hit for the Bears.
Harper Davenport and Scooter Ligon had two hits apiece for Lumpkin County.
DENMARK 4,
GAINESVILLE 3
The Red Elephants dropped a heartbreaker at Ivey-Watson Field in Region 6-7A action.
Gainesville (4-11, 1-6 Region 6-7A) struck quick in the first inning on a two-run double from Will Barrett, who later stole home to give the Red Elephants a 3-0 lead.
It remained that way until the sixth. Victor Vega, who started and went 5 2/3 allowing just six just hits for Gainesville, had a chance to get out of the inning without allowing a run. But an error opened the door and the Danes plated four unearned runs in the frame for a 4-3 lead.
The Red Elephants got the tying run on base in the seventh but left him stranded.
Jaden Johnson two hits for Gainesville. Cody Brewer and Jackson Still each had one hit for the Red Elephants
William Scott pitched the final 1 1/3 for the Red Elephants.
CLARKE CENTRAL 5,
JACKSON COUNTY 1
The Panthers could not hold an early lead as they fell to the Gladiators in a Region 8-5A matchup in Athens.
Jackson County (15-5, 4-2 Region 8-5A) led 1-0 in the first when Nicholas Streuer singled driving in Spencer Muffuletto. But Clarke Central responded with two in the bottom of the first off Derek Vaughn.
It stayed that way until the fifth when the Gladiators knocked Vaughn out of the game. Vaughn went 4 1/3 innings allowing four runs, three earned, on three hits while striking out eight.
Clarke Central plated two runs in the fifth and one more in the sixth.
The Panthers managed just five hits and one walk and stranded four baserunners.
The loss dropped Jackson County into a tie for fifth place.
AREA BASEBALL SCORES FOR Friday, March 26
Banks County 11-12, Union County 3-2*
Buford 3, Dacula 0*
Cherokee Bluff 16, Lumpkin County 4*
Clarke Central 5, Jackson County 1*
Denmark 4, Gainesville 3*
Hart County 10, East Jackson 0*
North Hall 9, White County 0*
Rabun County 11-12, Riverside Military 1-4*
Towns County at Commerce (DH), 5 p.m.*
West Hall 4, Gilmer 1*
AREA BASEBALL SCHEDULE FOR Saturday, March 27
Woodward Academy at Jefferson, 1 p.m.
(* -- denotes region contest)
