It was looking like a rough Saturday was in store for Northeast Georgia-area baseball teams in the second round of the Georgia High School Association playoffs.
Region 8-6A Region champ North Forsyth was quickly swept out of the Class 6A playoffs by Etowah, 14-0 and 7-3, at home. The Raiders pitching, which came in allowing just 3.43 runs/game, could not hold up against the Eagles, who were the Class 7A state runners-up in 2022.
At the same time, Cherokee Bluff and East Forsyth in the Class 4A playoffs went down 1-0 in their best-of-three series. Both teams got up off the deck, however, to stay alive.
Bluff scored two uns in the bottom of the seventh to beat Lovett, 7-6, in Game 2 to even the series and send it to a deciding third game. East Forsyth beat Holy Innocents' 6-3 in their Game 2 to also force a Game 3. Both series will conclude on Monday.
The Bears, ranked as high as No. 1 the final week of the regular season, had a strong start against Lovett in Game 1, with Jacob Vokal blasting a three-run home run to cap a five-run second inning. But the Lions exploded for a 10-run third against three Bluff pitchers en route to a 16-6 win in six innings. In the seventh inning of Game 2, KT Thompson tied the game at 6 with an RBI groundout and Bryce England later scored the winning run on a wild pitch.
East Forsyth dropped its opening game, 10-7, after using a six-run second inning to take a 7-0 lead. But Holy Innocents' scored two in the second, two in the third, and five in the fourth to take a 9-7 lead and hold on.
(Check below for the scores and full schedule of the second-round series involving Northeast Georgia-area teams.)
BASEBALL PLAYOFFS SCORES 2nd round, Saturday, April 29
(Best-of-three series)
Class 6A
Etowah 14-7, North Forsyth 0-3 (Etowah wins series 2-0)
Class 5A
Flowery Branch (R8, S3) at Centennial (R6, S1) -- (series moved to Monday & Tuesday)
Class 4A
Lovett 16-6, Cherokee Bluff 6-7 (Series tied 1-1)
Holy Innocents' 10-3, East Forsyth 7-6 (Series tied 1-1)
BASEBALL PLAYOFFS, 2nd round, Monday, May 1
(Best-of-three series)
Class 6A (Game 3, if necessary)
Etowah (R6, S3) at North Forsyth (R8, S1), 6 p.m.
Class 5A
Flowery Branch (R8, S3) at Centennial (R6, S1) DH, 4 p.m. -- (moved from Saturday)
Class 4A (Game 3s, if necessary)
Cherokee Bluff (R8, S2) at Lovett (R5, S1), 6 p.m.
East Forsyth (R8, S3) at Holy Innocents' (R6, S1), 5 p.m.
GIAA 3A
Lakeview Academy (12) at Dominion Christian (5) DH, 4 p.m.
BASEBALL PLAYOFFS, 2nd round, Tuesday, May 2
(Best-of-three series)
Class 5A (Game 3, if necessary)
Flowery Branch (R8, S3) at Centennial (R6, S1), 6 p.m.
GIAA 3A (Game 3, if necessary)
Lakeview Academy (12) at Dominion Christian (5), 5 p.m.
BASEBALL PLAYOFFS SCORES, 2nd round, Friday, April 28
Class 7A
Walton 4-8, Buford 2-3 (Walton wins series 2-0)
Class A Division 1 (1st round)
Commerce 8-9, Pepperell 2-5 (Commerce wins series 2-0)
Class A Division 2 (1st round)
Towns County 13-12, Mt. Zion-Carroll 3-1 (Towns County wins series 2-0)
