FLOWERY BRANCH — Cherokee Bluff proved it will be a force in Class 3A on Thursday.
Braxton Beal and Lucas Tritt tossed a combined two-hitter to lead the fifth-ranked Bears to an impressive 4-1 win over Class 7A No. 5 Denmark at home.
Beal got the win going five innings, yielding just one hit and striking out nine. Tritt closed out the final two innings giving up one hit and fanning four.
Bluff got all it would need plating two runs in the bottom of the first. The Danes scored their only run in the second and it stayed that way until the Bears scored twice in the sixth.
Ty Corbin, Jacob Vokal, Caleb Miele, Tucker Holton, and Landon Kemp all had one hit for Bluff. Miele had two RBI and House knocked in a run as well for the Bears.
GAINESVILLE 5,
WEST LAURENS 3
Gainesville won its third straight game on Thursday on the road.
The Red Elephants (3-1) got out to the early lead when Alex Kelley doubled in two runs in the top of the second. West Laurens trimmed the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the inning.
Gainesville answered in the fourth with three more runs with Riley Valentine, Landon Deyton, and Will Barrett all getting RBI hits to push the lead to 5-1.
West Laurens scored two in the fifth but could not get closer.
Cooper Reid earned the win for Gainesville allowing seven hits and three runs over five innings and fanning seven. Anthony Lugo recorded the final three outs to earn the save.
Gunnar Jeffers took the loss for West Laurens allowing five runs on five hits in four-plus innings.
JEFFERSON 10,
HART COUNTY 0 (5)
The Dragons (4-1) used a six-run fourth inning to blow the game open at home on Thursday.
Jefferson jumped out to a quick 1-0 in the first but it stayed that way until the fourth when the Dragons plated three runs for a 4-0 lead. They put it out of reach in the fourth.
Jase Peoples got the win going four innings, allowing just one hit and striking out 8. Brice Glausier pitched the final inning with one strikeout.
Owen Primm and Matthew Perrin each had two hits for Jefferson.
Levin Jones, Jase Peoples, Roger Hulsey, and Chase Howell all had one hit for the Dragons. Howell drove in two runs and Jones, Aiden Dumas, Hulsey, and Primm all had one RBI for Jefferson.
Jefferson will travel to Morgan County on Friday for a doubleheader to open its Region 8-4A schedule. First pitch for the doubleheader is set for 5 p.m.
