BUFORD — Freshman Bubba Coleman singled in Cole Taylor for the game-winning run as Buford rallied in the bottom of the seventh for a 7-6 win over defending Class 7A state champion Woodstock on Friday at Gerald McQuaig Field.
Buford (2-2) trailed 6-5 going into its final at-bat but tied the game on an error on a sacrifice bunt attempt. That came after the Wolverines scored four runs in the top of the seventh to take the lead after trailing the entire game.
The Wolves jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first on a two-run home run from junior shortstop Ethan Murray. and added two more in the third on a two-run single from junior catcher Sam Humphrey. They maintained that lead until Woodstock plated a pair of runs in the sixth. Murray hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth to push the lead to 5-2 before Woodstock took the lead in the seventh.
Junior Nate Taylor made his third quality start of the year on the mound for Buford, pitching four scoreless innings surrendering just one hit and striking out five.
Freshman Kyle Krause earned his first varsity win in relief getting the final out in the top of the seventh.
The Wolves will participate in the 2023 Perfect Game High School Showdown tournament in Hoover, Alabama beginning on Thursday. They will open against Oxford (Ala.).
GAINESVILLE TAKES 2 AT BASEBALL AT THE BEACH
The Red Elephants evened their record to 4-4 with a pair of wins on Saturday at the Baseball at the Beach in Brunswick.
Gainesville opened with a 4-2 win over North Springs and then knocked off Milton, 9-8 in the second game.
Against North Springs, Cooper Reid had a complete-game allowing just one run while scattering four hits and fanning five. Baxter Wright and Anthony Lugo had two hits apiece. Lugo, Tavarus Dowdy, and Phillip Williams all had RBI for Gainesville.
Against Milton, Branson Crawford and Dawson Vaughn combined for 11 strikeouts with Vaughn picking up the win in relief. Lugo, Smith McGarvey, and Phillip Williams all banged out three hits each as Gainesville pounded out 16 hits as a team.
DACULA 4,
CHESTATEE 2
Dacula scored a pair of runs in the seventh to rally for the win against the War Eagles at the Lynn Cottrell Complex on Saturday.
Chestatee (4-3) struck first with a run in the second on a Colton Wilbanks RBI hit and added another run in the third on a Joshua Bull RBI hit.
The Falcons scratched for a pair of runs in the fifth to tie the game.
Jake Hitchcock started for Chestatee and was solid, allowing two runs on just three hits and walked three in five innings. He struck out 8.
Wilbanks threw the final two innings in relief giving up two runs on three hits.
Nick McKoy Hitchcock, Eli Chaffin, and Cohen Miller all had one hit for Chestatee. Wilbanks finished 2-for-3 on the day.
