SUGAR HILL, Ga. — North Forsyth stayed unbeaten in Region 8-6A with an impressive 8-4 road win over Lanier on Tuesday.
The Raiders (17-6, 12-0 Region 8-6A) jumped on the Longhorns (15-6, 8-4 Region 8-6A) quickly with two runs in the first on a RBI single from Kyle Duckwall and sacrifice fly from Brady Holbrook. They added four in the third on a two-run triple from Mason Glennon and a RBI single from Billy Mason for a 6-0 lead.
Lanier answered with four runs in the bottom of the third to pull back within 6-4. But North Forsyth scored single runs in the fourth and seventh to pull away.
Andrew Elkhill went five innings, allowing four runs on four hits while fanning five to get the win. Kyle Roper and Gavyn Seitz kept Lanier at bay, pitching the final two innings allowing just one hit.
PICKENS 5,
DAWSON COUNTY 3
Trey Payne had three hits and drove in three runs to lead Class 3A No. 2 Dragons to a tough win to open a key Region 7-3A series.
Pickens (20-3, 12-1 Region 7-3A) scored single runs in the first, second, and third inning before the Tigers (12-9, 8-5 Region 7-3A) plated two runs in the fourth on a passed ball and a sacrifice fly from Elijah Odom to trim the lead to 3-2.
Pickens pushed the lead to 5-2 in the sixth but Dawson County was not finished. The Tigers scored a run in the top of the seventh on a RBI groundout from Colton Tucker. They got the go-ahead run to the plate when Julian Horner was hit by a pitch but Sawyer Bearden struck out to end the game.
Connor Shouse got the win for Pickens, surrendering just two runs on four hits over five innings. He fanned six. JP Nunn got the save, giving up one run over the final two innings.
Trey Harvey went 5 2/3 innings for Dawson County, allowing four runs on seven hits and striking out one. Bearden threw one-third of an inning in relief.
Joshua Priest had two hits for Dawson County.
ATHENS CHRISTIAN 6,
COMMERCE 4
The Tigers took a 4-2 lead into the fifth but could not hold on against the Class A Division 1 eighth-ranked Eagles in a battle for first place in the region.
Athens Christian (15-5, 8-2 Region 8-A D1) used a three-run fifth to grab the lead and then added a run in the sixth.
Commerce (10-10, 7-3 Region 8-A D1) got the go-ahead run to the plate after singles from Cohen Thomason and Coleson Smith with two out but Athens Christian was able to get the final out.
The Tigers took the early lead on a two-run home run from Beau Neisler and pushed the lead to 4-0 in the fifth on a bases loaded walk and an Eagles error.
Jaxon Foster took the loss in relief for Commerce. Foster went two innings allowing four runs on four hits.
JEFFERSON 5,
HART COUNTY 3
Brennan Carter went four innings allowing just one run on three hits to lead the Dragons (14-6) to a non-region win at home on Tuesday.
Jefferson (14-6) scored twice in the first inning on a RBI double from Jase Peoples and a RBI single from Brett Kelley. The Dragons added a run in the second before the Bulldogs cut the lead to 3-1 in the top of the fourth.
The Dragons scored again in the bottom of the fourth but Hart County plated two runs in the sixth to trim the lead to 4-3. But the Bulldogs could not get the tying run across.
Peoples had two hits and two RBI to lead the Dragons offense.
WHITE COUNTY 5,
WEST HALL 2
The Warriors snapped a three-game losing streak with a Region 7-3A win on the road.
White County (7-13, 2-8 Region 7-3A) led 2-1 after the second inning but put the game away with a three-run fifth on a two-run double from Shelton Ramey and a RBI single from Mason Gee.
West Hall (5-15, 1-9 Region 7-3A) got a run back in the sixth but could not get the tying run to the plate in the seventh.
Ramey earned the win for White County going the distance, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out seven.
Landen Page took the loss for West Hall. Page allowed five runs on eight hits in six innings, fanning five.
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCOREBOARD, Tuesday, April 4
Athens Christian 6, Commerce 4*
Jefferson 5, Hart County 3
North Forsyth 8, Lanier 4*
North Marion (Fla.) 11, Lumpkin County 1
Pickens 5, Dawson County 3*
Towns County 6, Union County 5
White County 5, West Hall 2*
(* -- denotes region contest)
