CLEVELAND, Ga. — Through the first four innings, White County was in control.
But Cherokee Bluff, staring at its fifth loss in a row, responded big-time with 11 unanswered runs to blow out the Warriors, 14-5, on the road Wednesday.
The win lifts the Bears (18-8, 11-6 Region 7-3A) into a second-place tie with Dawson County in the Region 7-3A standings, but Bluff holds the series tiebreaker over the Tigers.
White County (14-10, 8-9 Region 7-3A), on the hand, is two games out of fourth place behind East Forsyth.
Bluff actually opened the game with a three-run first inning to take a 3-0 lead, but the Warriors rallied back with an explosive five-run second inning.
Jake Johnson started the Warrior's flurry with a two-RBI single. White County added three more runs on an error and a Billy Carder double for a 5-3 lead.
But in the fifth inning, the Bears' bats came alive, recording four hits, a sacrifice fly and two walks to grab an 8-5 lead.
Jacob Vokal (3-for-5) and Caleb Miele (2-for-3) both singled to start the comeback and Bryce England (2-for-4, 3 RBIs) popped a fly ball to left field that sent Vokal home. After back-to-back walks, Tucker Hilton and Kaden Thompson ripped two doubles to drive in Miele, Caleb Piland and Brett House (2-for-3, 2 RBIs) to take the three-run lead, 8-5.
The Bears sat White County down in order in the bottom of the fifth and continued their onslaught in the sixth inning, scoring runs on England and House doubles, a Thompson single and a Landon Kemp sacrifice fly to take a 13-5 advantage.
Bluff added their final run in the seventh inning.
Holton had a stellar outing on the mound, allowing five runs -- two earned -- on five hits and fanning 10 Warriors in the complete-game performance.
NORTH HALL 8,
DAWSON COUNTY 0
North Hall (22-4, 17-0 Region 7-3A) sealed the top seed in Region 7-3A win the shutout win over the Tigers on Wednesday at Lynn Cottrell Field.
It's the second straight season the defending Class 3A champs and current No. 1 team have won the region title.
The Tigers (16-10, 11-6 Region 7-3A) outhit top-ranked North Hall but couldn't find the plate as the Trojans secured the shutout win at Lynn Cottrell Field on Wednesday.
The Trojans used three pitchers to complete the shutout.
Hunter Brooks earned the win, allowing six hits over 5 2/3 innings with one strikeout. Brantley Watson and Landon Davis helped to close out the game in relief.
The Trojans, leading 2-0, added six runs in the fourth inning with RBIs from Jace Bowen (2-fo-2, 2 RBIs), Jaret Bales and Bradford Puryear (1-for-2, 3 RBIs), who all drove in runs.
Bowen went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead the Trojans Varsity in hits.
Brandon Cramer led Dawson County with two hits in three at-bats.
EAST FORSYTH 8,
WEST HALL 3
The Spartans rallied from a 3-1 deficit with a two-run fifth inning to tie the game, 3-3, but East Forsyth responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for good in the win at home on Wednesday.
With White County's 14-5 loss to Cherokee Bluff on Wednesday, the Broncos (16-11, 10-7 Region 7-3A) are two games ahead of the Warriors in fourth place.
Trey Farr surrendered three runs on eight hits over six innings, striking out four to earn the win on the hill for the Broncos.
Mason Schreiber was 2-for-3 with 3RBIs to lead the Broncos at the plate. Lucas Kniola had a multiple hit day, going 2-for-3.
West Hall's Michael Gaddy was 2-for-2, and Matthew Griffin was 2-for-4. Nick Sturm, Gaddy and Shaffer all drove in runs for the Spartans (8-15, 3-14 Region 8-3A).
BUFORD 9,
WINDER-BARROW 3
The Wolves (21-4, 16-1 Region 8-6A) responded after Monday's shocking upset to Winder-Barrow with a six-run win over the Bulldoggs in Winder to clinch the Region 8-6A championship on Wednesday.
With the win, the Wolves take a two-game lead over Winder-Barrow and captured the No. 1 seed for the Class 6A playoffs later this month.
In the first inning, Buford's offense was jumpstarted when Carson King singled on a 2-1 count, scoring one run.
In the third, Buford added four runs. King (2-for-2, 3 RBIs) and Ethan Murray all contributed in the big inning with RBIs. After the big third inning, the Wolves added one run in the fifth and one in the seventh.
Jackson Gaspard was 3-for-4 with four RBIs to lead the Wolves' batting.
NORTH FORSYTH 7,
FORSYTH CENTRAL 6
Michail Harris homered to give the Raiders the one-run lead in the top of the seventh inning and the eventual key Region 6-7A win over the Bulldogs on the road Wednesday.
The win lifts the Raiders (18-9, 8-7 Region 6-7A)into a tie for third place in the region standings with Lambert. North Forsyth has first place Denmark, Lambert and South Forsyth remaining. Needless to say, this region is too complicated right now to predict.
The Raiders had to rally late to knock off the Bulldogs.
North Forsyth opened the game with a two-run home run -- one of three homers on the day for the team -- from Tyler Triche to take the early lead and added two more in the third to go up, 4-0.
Along with Harris (1-for-3, 2 RBIs) and Triche (2-for-3, 2 RBIs), Chandler DeBlois (3-for-4, 1 RBI) went deep in the third inning.
North Forsyth Raiders Varsity scattered eight hits in the game. DeBlois and Triche each racked up multiple hits for North Forsyth Raiders Varsity. DeBlois went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead North Forsyth Raiders Varsity in hits.
The Bulldogs fired back with three runs in the bottom of the third and two in the fifth to go ahead, 5-4.
Kyle Roper picked up the win for the Raiders in two innings of work, allowing one run on three hits, striking out two and walking one.
AREA SCOREBOARD, Wednesday, April 13
Buford 9, Winder-Barrow 3*
Cherokee Bluff 14, White County 5*
Chestatee 6, Cedar Shoals 2*
East Forsyth 8, West Hall 3*
Habersham Central 3, Shiloh 2*
King’s Ridge 25, Lakeview Academy 0*
North Forsyth 7, Forsyth Central 6*
North Hall 8, Dawson County 0*
THURSDAY, April 14 SCHEDULE
(All games begin at 5:55 p.m. unless otherwise noted)
Johnson at Clarke Central*
Lakeview Academy at King’s Ridge, 5:30 p.m.*
North Hall at Dawson County*
Winder-Barrow at Buford*
FRIDAY, April 15 SCHEDULE
(All games begin at 5:55 p.m. unless otherwise noted)
Buford vs. Campbell at Truist Park (Atlanta), 7 p.m.
Cedar Shoals at Chestatee (DH), 5 p.m.*
Denmark at North Forsyth, 6:15 p.m.*
Elbert County at Banks County (DH), 5 p.m.
East Forsyth at West Hall*
East Hall at North Oconee (DH), 4:30 p.m.*
Flowery Branch at Madison County (DH), 4:30 p.m.*
Gainesville at South Forsyth, 6:15 p.m.*
Habersham Central at Shiloh*
Jackson County vs. Apalachee at Truist Park (Atlanta), 4 p.m.*
Jefferson at Woodward Academy
Lake Oconee at Commerce (DH), 5 p.m.*
Lumpkin County at Gilmer*
Riverside Military at Johnson, 5:45 p.m.
Union County at Rabun County (DH), 5 p.m.*
White County at Cherokee Bluff*
