JEFFERSON — Jefferson pulled within one game of first place after rallying for a 13-4 win in six innings over first place North Oconee on Wednesday at home.
The top four teams in the region all are within one game of first place with just one week left in the regular season.
North Oconee (15-10, 9-5 Region 8-4A) stormed out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning. But the Lady Dragons (12-9, 8-6 Region 8-4A) began to chip away in the second.
Jefferson scored twice in the second, four in the third, two more in the fourth, and one in the fifth to run out to a 9-3 lead. The Lady Titans pulled within 9-5 in the top of the sixth but the Lady Dragons put the game out of reach with a four-run sixth.
Taylor Spivey and Savannah Smith each had three hits and one RBI to lead the Jefferson offense. Ellie Kinlaw had two hits and two RBI and Emma Kate Sorrells had two hits and scored twice for the Lady Dragons.
Madison Hanchey, Audrey Burton, Natalie Beck, Kinsie Pugh, and Maleia Truelove each had one hit for Jefferson.
The Lady Dragons will close out their Region 8-4A schedule on Tuesday against Madison County on the road.
FLOWERY BRANCH 2,
WINDER-BARROW 1
The Lady Falcons scored a pair of first inning runs and Alyssa Wagner made it stand up in a non-region win at home on Wednesday.
Wagner went the distance, scattering six hits and striking out three.
Savanna Rutledge and Wagner both collected RBI as Casey Beaver and Zoe Johnston-Hadaway who each went 2-for-3 and scored a run. Ciera Poole also had a hit for Flowery Branch.
The Lady Bulldoggs cut the lead to 2-1 in the fifth but Wagner shut them down from there.
The Lady Falcons will jump back into Region 8-4A play on Thursday traveling to East Hall.
BUFORD 11,
SHILOH 1
The Lady Wolves (18-2-1, 9-2 Region 8-6A) ran their win streak to four straight after a six-inning rout in Region 8-6A play on Wednesday.
Buford (18-2-1, 9-2 Region 8-6A) used a six-run third inning to blow open a close game and scored in the sixth to invoke the mercy rule.
The inning was highlighted by back-to-back home runs from sophomores Mackenzie Pickens -- her 9th of the season -- and Adriana Martinez.
Martinez added a solo shot in the sixth inning.
Sophomore Morgan Sullivan earned the win in the circle in her first start of the season. Sullivan surrendered just one hit and one unearned run while striking out five.
Martinez finished with three hits and two RBI. Junior Emma Castorri had two hits and Taylor Malvin had a triple and one RBI for the Lady Wolves.
Buford will travel to Habersham Central on Thursday in another Region 8-6A contest.
CHESTATEE 10,
TOWNS COUNTY 9
Kaylin Thome drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh to drive in the winning run for the Lady War Eagles in a non-region battle at Talon Field.
Chestatee rallied from a 6-0 deficit with 10 runs over the final three innings.
Towns County scored a run in the first, added four in the third, and another in the fifth for what looked like an insurmountable lead. But the Lady War Eagles offense finally got going.
Chestatee had three hits and took advantage of four Lady Indians walks to plate five in the fifth inning. After Towns County pushed its lead back to 9-5 in the sixth, the Lady War Eagles went back to work.
Chestatee scored three more in the sixth to climb within 9-8 and scored both runs in the seventh after two were out.
