Friday March 29th, 2024 10:22AM

Baseball: Huge make-or-break week for several area teams

By Jeff Hart Sports Reporter

While most everyone around the Northeast Georgia area enjoys their Spring Break, area baseball teams could be facing their most pivotal week of the season so far.

Nearly a dozen key series across most of the nine regions in the areas will shape the final three weeks of the regular season, leaving some teams within striking distance of region titles or in dire straits to make the playoffs.

Region 7-3A is in full swing with four big series, none bigger than No. 1-ranked North Hall and No. 7 Cherokee Bluff staging a three-game series for first place. The Trojans (17-4, 12-0 Region 7-3A) are riding a 12-game win streak, all in region play, and will open the series at Cottrell Field on Monday. Meanwhile, the Bears (17-4, 10-2 Region 7-3A) sit just two games back and can take over first place with a sweep of the Trojans. But even a series win for Bluff would still require some help down the road.

Third-place Dawson County (13-8, 8-4 Region 7-3A) has been the surprise team of the season and opens a big series with fifth-place Gilmer (10-9, 5-7 Region 7-3A) in Dawsonville.

White County (10-9, 4-8 Region 7-3A) and West Hall (8-10, 3-9 Region 7-3A) open a near do-or-die series for both in Oakwood. The Warriors sit two games behind fourth-place East Forsyth (12-10, 6-6 Region 7-3A) while the Spartans are three games back of fourth.

Region 8-4A also will have a full region schedule this week, except for Chestatee, which will play non-region games this week. The key series has Jefferson (14-8, 9-3 Region 8-4A) facing No. 1-ranked North Oconee (20-1, 9-0 Region 8-4A). The Dragons sit in second just 1 1/2 games behind the first-place Titans but are coming off a series loss to Flowery Branch (11-8, 5-4 Region 8-4A).

The Falcons, who have been battling some key injuries, currently are in fourth, just one game back of third-place Madison County (12-8, 6-3 Region 8-4A) and will open a series with East Hall (7-13, 3-6 Region 8-4A) at Valhalla.

As for the rest of the area’s big series:

North Forsyth (14-8, 4-6 Region 6-7A) travels to No. 10 South Forsyth (13-6, 5-5 Region 6-7A) to open a huge two-game series in Region 6-7A. The Raiders currently are in sixth place but are just two games out of second place. They will then head to No. 9 West Forsyth (13-9, 6-4 6-7A) on Friday.

In Region 8-A Public, No. 9 Commerce (15-6, 11-1 Region 8-A Public) sits one-half game ahead of No. 8 Social Circle (16-5, 9-0 Region 8-A Public) but has the week off from region play.  Towns County, however, has a make-or-break series with Lake Oconee. The Indians (5-10, 3-8 Region 8-A Public) sit in fifth place 1 1/2 games behind Lake Oconee (6-9, 4-6 Region 8-A Public). A sweep either way most likely would knock the other of any playoff contention.

(Click here for the complete schedule this week and the rest of the season.)

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