RABBITTOWN — In a wild finish in Region 8-4A, Cherokee Bluff claimed the final playoff spot on Tuesday with a 16-4 win in five innings over East Hall at East Hall Park.
However, they needed some help as the Lady Bears (12-13, 10-8 Region 8-4A) came in tied with North Hall and Madison County for the final spot going into Tuesday’s action. They needed a win and a Madison County loss to North Oconee to sneak in past the Lady Trojans.
They got it, even though North Hall made it tough. The Lady Trojans hammered Chestatee, 9-0, for their sixth straight win to close out the season. But the Lady Red Raiders fell 11-6 to North Oconee giving Bluff the tiebreaker edge over North Hall (15-10, 10-8 Region 8-4A) due to their sweep of North Oconee during the regular season.
For the Lady Bears, Lauren Rule smacked three home runs on the day and finished with seven RBI to pace a 14-hit attack for Cherokee Bluff. They took a quick 3-0 in the top of the first but East Hall stormed back with four runs in the bottom of the inning for a 4-3 lead.
It was all Bluff after that. The Lady Bears scored four more in the second and blew the game open with seven runs in the fourth. They put the mercy rule in effect with two in the fifth.
Audrey Graham drove in three runs on a pair of hits and Mackinley Warren and Kaitlyn Herren, who also homered, each knocked in two runs for Cherokee Bluff.
Catalina Baronci got the win for Cherokee Bluff.
Callie Dale hit a three-run home run in the first for the Lady Vikings. Haley Armour took the loss for the Lady Vikings in the circle.
NORTH HALL 9,
CHESTATEE 0 (5 inn)
The Lady Trojans used an eight-run third inning to blow open a close game for the sixth straight win to finish the regular season in Region 8-4A.
The win put them in a tie for the fourth and final playoff spot but Cherokee Bluff advanced on a tiebreaker.
Genesis Satterfield and KB Seabolt both had two hits and Olivia Mullins knocked in two runs as North Hall also took advantage of five Chestatee errors on the day.
Mac Taylor went the distance for North Hall scattering two hits and striking out 9 for the win.
JEFFERSON 17,
HERITAGE-CONYERS 3 (4 inn)
The Lady Dragons stayed alive for the final playoff spot in Region 8-5A but will need some on Thursday on the final day of the regular season.
Jefferson (17-11, 9-8 Region 8-5A) sits 1 1/2 game out of third place and just one-half game behind Flowery Branch for the fourth spot. The Lady Dragons will play host to Winder-Barrow, who is tied with Eastside for second, and will need Clarke Central, who has just one win in region play, to knock off the Lady Falcons to have any chance.
Leading 7-2, Jefferson exploded for 10 runs in the third, sending 15 batters to the plate with eight hits and two Heritage errors.
Taylor Spivey was the winning pitcher. Pitching the first two innings. Addison Self pitched the final two innings for the Lady Dragons.
Reagan Hays had four hits and Spivey had three hits and 2 RBI for the Lady Dragons. MJ Thornton had two hits and 3 RBI and Audrey Burton also knocked in a pair of runs for Jefferson.
BUFORD 11,
COLLINS HILL 1 (5 inn)
Freshman Caroline Stanton hit her first career grand slam and 10th home run of the season to lead the Lady Wolves (23-0, 14-0 Region 8-7A) to another Region 8-7A win on the road.
Buford roughed up three Collins Hill pitchers for 13 hits, 4 of them extra-base hits, including two home runs. Sophomore Isabel Rettiger hit her first varsity home run, a two-run blast in the third.
Juniors Madison Pickens and Tavye Borders combined for five hits, two RBI, four stolen bases, and scored three runs for the Lady Wolves.
Senior Olivia Duncan (11-0) got the win allowing one run on two hits in three innings. Junior Emma Grace Williams retired all six batters she faced to close out the game.
Buford closes out its regular season on Thursday on the road against Dacula.
