Baseball: NoFo loses close one to Lambert; NHall, Bluff win big; GHS falls to Denmark

COAL MOUNTAIN, Ga. — Lambert seriously dented North Forsyth's hopes of a Class 7A home playoff series on Monday. 

The Longhorns (17-11, 10-7 Region 6-7A), in a battle for the second spot in the region as well, completed the season three-game sweep with a 2-1 win at Raider Field on Monday. 

Ashton Smith, behind a solid defensive effort in the field, shut down the Raiders (19-10, 9-8 Region 6-7A) in the complete-game performance, allowing just one run on three hits. He also struck out five. 

Lambert scored its runs early on a wild pitch in the first inning and an error in the second to go ahead, 2-0. 

North Forsyth's lone run in the third inning as Josh Zirlott started the inning with a double. The Raiders then loaded the bases on two walks and a batter later, Brett Barfield walked to send Zirlott home. 

The Raiders' pitching was just as solid with Baylor Homesly allowing just two hits while striking out seven. Nolan Wood, Cole Muunhall and Andrew Elkhill combined to no-hit the Longhorns the rest of the way.

Zirlott, Michail Harris and Tyler Triche had one hit each to lead the Raiders. 

NORTH HALL 8,
WEST HALL 1

The top-ranked Trojans (24-4, 19-0 Region 7-3A) jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning to roll past West Hall in Game 1 of the final regular-season series at Lynn Cottrell Field on Monday. 

The Trojans cashed in an error in the first inning to score two runs. 

But it was the pitching of Trojan ace Jaret Bales, who fanned 13 of the 25 batters he faced, allowing one run on two hits and one walk. 

The Spartans (8-17, 3-16 Region 7-3A) one run came off a home run from Michael Gaddy in the top of the sixth inning. 

Leading 4-1 in the six thing inning, Jace Bowen and Hunter Brooks (2-for-4, 2 RBIs), drove in three of the four runs in the inning. 

First, though, Barrett, who singled to start the inning, scored on an error by the catcher. A batter later, with runners at first and second, Bowen's fly ball to centerfield was dropped, allowing Tate Brooks (2-for-4, 1 RBI) and Luke Erickson to cross the plate, pushing the lead, 7-1. Hunter Brooks' single a couple of batters later scored Will Jackson for the seven-run lead. 

CHEROKEE BLUFF 18,
GILMER 1

The Bears (19-8, 12-6 Region 7-3A) scored 13 runs in the sixth inning, including a Bryce England grand slam, to rout the Bobcats (10-15, 5-13 Region 7-3A) in Ellijay on Monday. 

England was 3-for-3 with four RBIs, while Ty Corbin (3-for-4), Caleb Miele (1-for-3) and Caleb Piland 2-for-4) all drove in three runs each. Jacob Vokal was 2-for-4 with one RBI. 

Vokal also earned the win on the mound, surrendering one run on six hits in five innings of work. He also recorded six strikeouts. 

DENMARK 12,
GAINESVILLE 6

Francesco Capocci was 3-for-4 with a single and a home run to help lead Denmark (21-7, 13-3 Region 6-7A) past Gainesville on Monday at home. 

But the Red Elephants (10-16, 3-13 Region 6-7A) struck first in the Region 6-7A battle on a Will Barrett single that brought home Cody Brewer, who doubled earlier. 

The Danes, however, would go on a six-run frenzy over the next inning and a half. They grabbed the lead in the first on singles by Capocci and Kyly Henley and a Jake Myers groundout in the first inning to go up, 3-1. But the second inning, Capocci belted a home run to centerfield to push the lead, 6-1 in the second. 

Gainesville added two runs in the third and three in the fifth inning. Denmark tacked on runs in the fourth and sixth innings. 

Barrett led the Red Elephants with four RBIs on a 2-for-4 day at the plate. Tanner Allen drove in two runs. Andrew Lugo, Brewer and Landon Dayton all had two-hit days.