FLOWERY BRANCH — Flowery Branch earned a split its two-game series with Winder-Barrow on Monday, taking a 4-1 win in a Region 8-5A matchup at the Hog Mountain Sports Complex.
The Falcons (8-6, 1-1 Region 8-5A) never trailed as Kade Smallwood doubled in Mason Compton in the first inning. They added a run in the second when Austin Bourrie scored on a wild pitch.
The Bulldoggs (7-7, 1-1 Region 8-5A) got a run back in the third on a Ryan Ford home run but that would be it.
Aaron Attaway was outstanding on the hill for Branch. The senior scattered two hits and struck out five in a complete-game effort.
Layton Pruitt took the loss for Winder-Barrow. Pruitt went four innings, allowing three hits and two runs while striking out six.
Brady Price threw two innings in relief giving up two runs on a RBI bunt single by Attaway scoring Riley Mitchell. Attaway later scored on a wild pitch.
Mitchell had two hits for the Falcons.
HABERSHAM CENTRAL 14,
SHILOH 4 (5 inn)
The Raiders won their third straight game in Region 8-6A play with a huge win in five innings at home on Monday.
Habersham Central (10-4, 4-1 Region 8-6A) fell behind 4-0 in the first but the Generals (4-7, 0-5 Region 8-6A) could not hold it. The Raiders answered with two in the first, four in the second, three in the third, and invoked the mercy rule with five in the fourth.
Shiloh could not keep the game going as the Raiders were able to get a scoreless top of the fifth to end the game.
NORTH HALL 8,
EAST FORSYTH 4
The Trojans scored seven runs in the third inning to rally from an early deficit to open their Region 8-4A North subregion schedule.
After North Hall (10-4, 1-0 Region 8-4A North) scored a run in the first, East Forsyth (7-6, 0-1 Region 8-4A North) scored three runs in the bottom of the first to grab the lead on RBI hits by Will Moffit and Logan Pedretti.
In the third, the Trojans offense took advantage of several Broncos mistakes. They scored two runs on errors to tie the game, got a bases loaded walk from Andrew Bales, Ajay Jones was hit by a pitch to drive in a run, Andrew Hlavacek and Jon Jon Read both singled in runs, and Charlie Wright had a RBI sacrifice fly for another as they pulled away for an 8-1 lead.
That was more than enough for freshman lefty Kaleb Sexton, went the distance allowing four runs on four hits, striking out nine and walking none to get the win.
Wyatt Barden took the loss for East Forsyth lasting 2 2/3 innings surrendering eight runs, but just one earned, on five hits and two walks while striking out three.
Owen McGee had two of the Broncos four hits.
The two teams will resume their three-game series on Wednesday at Cottrell Field in Gainesville.
CHESTATEE 6,
EAST HALL 5
The War Eagles also opened up Region 8-4A North play with a win at East Hall Park.
The War Eagles’ Jake Hitchcock broke a 3-3 tie with an RBI single in the top of the seventh. Nick McKoy followed with a two-out, two-run single to make it 6-3.
The Vikings answered with two runs in the bottom of the seventh on a fielder’s choice and a Caden Crocker RBI double to pull within 6-5. But Joshua Bull was able to preserve the win, getting a ground out to end the game.
Bull got the win on the mound for Chestatee (8-6, 1-0 Region 8-4A North) going two innings allowing two runs on three hits.
Tyler Parker took the loss for East Hall (4-9, 0-1 Region 8-4A North) giving up three runs, none earned, on four hits but he also struck out three in two innings.
The Vikings led 3-1 after the first inning and Chestatee tied the game with a pair of runs in the third.
Drew Campbell had two hits and two RBI for the Vikings.
Cohen Miller pounded out three hits for Chestatee. McKoy and Bull each had two hits for the War Eagles.
The two teams will resume their best-of-three series at the Lynn Cottrell Complex on Wednesday.
MOUNTAIN VIEW 4,
BUFORD 0
The Wolves dropped their third straight game Monday night on the road.
It was Buford’s (3-8, 1-2 Region 8-7A) second straight loss in Region 8-7A action.
The Wolves offense managed just three hits against the Bears’ Cooper Johnson, who went the distance striking out 12 and walking just one.
Mountain View (5-6, 1-0 Region 8-7A) scored all it would need with two runs in the second off Buford freshman starter Kyle Krause, who went two-plus innings giving up three runs on three hits. The Bears added a run in the third and a run in the sixth.
Sophomore Cannon Goldin, junior Jayden Clark, and freshman Bubba Coleman each had one hit for Buford.
Buford next will play host to Mountain View in the second game of their three-game series on Wednesday at Gerald McQuaig Field.
POPE 9,
NORTH FORSYTH 2
The defending Class 6A state champion Greyhounds scored the final seven runs to take a non-region win in Coal Mountain.
The loss for the Raiders (7-6, 2-0 Region 8-6A) snapped a three-game winning streak.
Pope scored twice in the first inning but North Forsyth tied the game in the second on RBI singles from Jake Prince and Kyle Duckwall. Pope reclaimed the lead with two runs in the third and blew it open with five in the sixth.
The Raiders will be back in action on Wednesday taking on Gainesville to open a crucial Region 8-6A series at home.
LANIER CHRISTIAN 6,
YOUNG AMERICAN CHRISTIAN 1
The Lightning took a region game on Monday behind a stellar pitching performance from Camden Hohman.
Hohman struck out 13 and carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning before giving up a single. Carter Raulerson finished the seventh to preserve the win.
LCA scored a run in the second to grab the early lead. The Lightning added another run in the third before pulling away with home runs and two runs each in the fifth and sixth innings.
YACS scored its only run in the seventh.
LCA used the long ball on offense as Joshua Waymack hit a 2-run homer in the fifth inning while Hohman helped his own cause with a solo shot in the sixth. Barry Waymack had two hits while Isaac Dinn and Titus Lulinski added one each.
