DAWSONVILLE — Cherokee Bluff used a 12-run fifth inning en route to an 18-4, five-inning win over Dawson County on Wednesday in a critical Region 7-3A contest.
The win moved the Class 3A sixth-ranked Bears (16-4, 9-2 Region 7-3A) back into second place all alone in the region standings and evened their best-of-three series with the Tigers (13-7, 8-3 Region 7-3A), who dropped back to third place. The two teams will close out the series on Friday in Flowery Branch with the winner holding the all-important head-to-head tiebreaker.
The big inning was highlighted by a three-run homer from Jacob Vokal, who had three hits and four RBI on the day, and a two-run double from Brett House, who knocked in three runs on the day. Bluff pounded out 19 hits and had 16 RBI in the game.
Landon Kemp had two hits, Kaden Thompson three hits, and Kemp. Thompson, Lucas Tritt, Caleb Davis, and Bryce Englad all drove in one run for Bluff.
Bluff broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the third and four in the fourth, with the big blow a two-run double by Caleb Miele, who finished with three RBI.
That was more than enough for Caleb Piland, who got the win allowing four runs on six hits in five innings for the Bears.
Bluff led 18-0 after the huge inning but Dawson County scored four times in the fifth, getting a two-run single from Nick Mullinax and Brandon Cramer knocked in the final run for the Tigers before it was called due to the run-rule.
Ryley Moore started for the Tigers and went 3 1/3 innings, allowing six runs on eight hits and striking out six. The Dawson bullpen relief of Sawyer Bearden and Jacob Poss were roughed up allowing 12 runs on 11 hits in just 1 2/3 innings.
Davis Glass had two hits for Dawson County.
NORTH HALL 7,
EAST FORSYTH 1
Hunter Brooks allowed just one hit, no runs, and struck out four in five innings to lead the Class 3A second-ranked Trojans to another Region 7-3A win on Wednesday.
North Hall (16-4, 11-0 Region 7-3A) remained the only unbeaten team in the region with the victory. The Trojans also still sit alone atop the standings heading into Friday’s series finale with the Broncos (12-9, 6-5 Region 7-3A) who dropped their third straight game.
However, it was an early pitchers duel between North Hall’s Hunter Brooks and the Broncos’ Trey Farr.
Brooks eventually went five innings to get the win while Farr ran into trouble in the third and the fifth.
The Trojans got an RBI groundout from Ajay Jones and a RBI single from Jace Bowen to take a 2-0 lead in the third. In the fifth, Bradford Puryear blasted a solo home run to lead off the frame and Hudson Barrett scored on an error later in the inning for a 4-0 lead.
North Hall extended the lead to 7-0 in the seventh, highlighted by a RBI triple from Jaret Bales.
East Forsyth scored its only run in the seventh on a wild pitch.
Farr allowed four runs on eight hits and fanned five in 5 2/3 innings.
BUFORD 15,
CENTRAL GWINNETT 0
The Class 6A No. 1-ranked Wolves scored in every inning, including eight runs in the second and five in the third in a Region 8-6A game called due to the run rule after three innings.
Riley Stanford and Landon Nease allowed just one hit and one walk while combining to strike out 6 of the 11 batters they faced.
The offense was led by Brant Baughcum with two hits and two RBI. Dylan Lesko had two hits, and Parker Walsh had two hits, including a home run. Ashton Kehren also belted a solo home run. Lesko, Kaden Martin, Stan Zagrodnik, Walsh, Eli Parks, and Cannon Goldin all drove in one run for the Wolves.
Buford (19-0, 14-0 Region 8-6A) now leads second place Winder-Barrow by three full games heading into its series finale against Central Gwinnett on Friday at Gerald McQuaig Field.
