HOSCHTON, Ga. — Coming into Wednesday's Game 2 against Region 8-7A leader Mill Creek, Buford had won just two games in the last 10 tries.
Damien Brown's outing on the hill held the Hawks (9-8, 4-1) to just two hits, and the Buford offense got just enough to get the huge region road win, 3-2, on Wednesday.
The Wolves (5-10, 3-4) still have a lot of work to do if they want to get into the playoffs, as they Sith in the fifth spot one game behind Mountain View.
Buford's offense went to work early, opening the game with a three-run first inning. Nate Taylor got the scoring going with a single, followed by a sacrifice bunt and a two-run scoring single from Brandon Taliaferro to grab a 3-0 lead.
Then Brown and the defense went to work, allowing six total base runners, including two hits.
Mill Creek took advantage of a walk and error in the bottom of the six thing inning as Matthew Simay doubled to score the Hawks' first run of the game. Cole Mullins, who reached on the error earlier in the inning, scored on a Ryan Thomas ground out.
Brown gave up just one earned run on two hits while striking out six to get the complete-game win for the Wolves.
EAST FORSYTH 7,
CHESTATEE 4
East Forsyth jumped into third place in the region standings alone with the win over Chestatee at home on Wednesday.
The Broncos (11-6, 6-3) are second in the Region 8-4A North standings and third overall. Chestatee drops to third in the sub-region standings and fourth overall.
East Forsyth held the War Eagles to one run in the top of the first inning -- a Dylan Thompson single -- then added four in the bottom of take control.
Logan Pedretti highlighted the inning with a two-run bomb.
EaFo added one run in the fourth and two in the sixth. Chestatee added runs in the second and two in the seventh.
Thompson and Joshua Bull collected multiple hits, while Owen McGee, Pedretti and Mathew Lyons recorded one hit each.
Trey Farr earned the win on the hill for the Broncos, allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out for in 6 2/3 innings.
FLOWERY BRANCH 5,
EASTSIDE 0
The Falcons (11-7, 4-2) built their lead over six innings en route to the win over Eastside on Wednesday at Hog Mountain Park.
The Falcons scored two runs in the first and one each in the third, fourth, and sixth innings.
Caleb Freeman got the win for the Falcons, going 3 2/3 innings, allowing two hits, zero runs and two strikeouts.
Kade Smallwood was 3-for-4 with three RBIs to lead the Falcons at the plate. Jave Ojeda had multiple hits for the Falcons.
The Falcons remain one game behind Winder-Barrow in fourth place in the Region 8-5A standings.
NORTH FORSYTH 13,
SHILOH 3
Leading 7-2 heading to the bottom of the fifth, North Forsyth rocked the Generals for six runs to run-rule Shiloh on Wednesday at home.
Ellis Alldredge (2-for-3, 3 RBIs), Jordan Cox, Jake Prince, Austin McCabe and Brady Holbrook collected RBIs in the sixth inning.
The Raiders (11-6, 6-0) remain atop the Region 8-6A standings with the win.
Parker Adams got the win, surrendering three runs on three hits while striking out eight in five innings of work.
JACKSON COUNTY 8,
HABERSHAM CENTRAL 7
Jackson County scored two runs in the top of the eighth and gunned out the game-tying run at home to seal the win in Mt. Airy on Wednesday.
The win lifts the Panthers (8-11, 5-2) into a tie for second with Habersham Central (11-6, 5-2) in the Region 8-6A standings.
Jackson County led 4-3 after the fourth inning, but the Raiders added a run in the fifth and two in the sixth innings to take the lead 6-4.
Karson Wheeler's double in the seventh inning drove in the game-tying runs to eventually force the extra inning.
In the eighth, Spencer Mufuletto scored on a wild pitch, then Nick Austin Singled to left field, scoring Mathews, who reached on a fielder's choice. The runs gave the Panthers an 8-6 advantage.
In the bottom of the inning, the Raiders loaded the bases with two outs when Blandon Grizzle lined a single to center field. Ben Strickland wasted no time on the play and gunned out Kaydon Bass at home to seal the win.
Karson Wheeler was 4-for-4 with four RBIs, including a two-run homer in the third inning.
Grizzle was 3-for-5 with two RBIs to lead the Raiders. Maverick Chitwood also recorded three hits, while Mason Dawe had two.
PREP SCOREBOARD, Wednesday, March 22
Buford 3, Mill Creek 2*
Cherokee Bluff 18, East Hall 1*
East Forsyth 7, Chestatee 4*
Flowery Branch 5, Eastside 0*
Lanier 9, Gainesville 0*
Jackson County 8, Habersham Central 7 (8 inns)*
North Forsyth 13, Shiloh 3*
Lakeview Academy 15, Pinecrest 13
(* -- denotes region contest)
