GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Despite 10 strikeouts from Gainesville starter Branson Crawford, Habersham Central was able to take a 5-0 shutout win over the Red Elephants on Monday in both teams’ Region 8-6A openers at Ivey-Watson Field.
The Class 6A ninth-ranked Raiders (8-1, 1-0 Region 8-6A) broke a scoreless tie in the third when Konner Burrell singled in a run followed by a sacrifice fly from Spencer Frady for a 2-0 lead. It stayed that way until they broke the game open with a three-run sixth.
In the sixth, Habersham Central scored a run on an error that set up a two-run double from Hayden Gailey.
Kade Nicholson went the distance for the Raiders, scattering three hits and fanning nine.
Next up for Gainesville is a road trip to Jackson County on Friday in another region showdown.
Habersham Central will play host to Shiloh on Friday in region action.
CHESTATEE 11,
CEDAR SHOALS 1
The War Eagles stole 14 bases in taking a Region 8-4A crossover win in five innings game on Monday.
Chestatee (6-5) used a six-run second inning to take control and scored three in the fourth and one in the fifth for an 11-0 lead. Cedar Shoals scored once in the bottom of the fifth bu could not add on as the game ended due to the run-rule.
Colton Wilbanks had two hits and two RBI and Thomas Martens also drove in two runs for Chestatee. In all, six different War Eagles knocked in at least one run on the day.
Wesley Gossett earned the win for the War Eagles, scattering three hits and striking out three in three innings. They allowed three hits and zero runs over three innings, striking out three and walking two.
Dylan Thompson and Chandler Holcomb each threw one inning in relief.
The War Eagles next will play host to Seckinger in another 8-4A crossover contest.
DAWSON COUNTY 4-11,
WEST HALL 5-0
The two teams split a doubleheader on Monday to open Region 7-3A play.
The Spartans (3-8, 1-1 Region 7-3A) took the opening game, 5-4, after using a three-run fourth inning to grab the lead. They added an insurance run in the sixth.
The Tigers (7-3, 1-1 Region 7-3A) had the go-ahead run at the plate but John Kendrick got Sawyer Bearden to fly out to end the game.
In the second game, Joshua Priest pitched a no-hitter to lead Dawson County to a run-rule victory. He walked just one while striking out 9.
The Tigers offense scored in every inning to take the win in five innings.
Dawson scored a run in the first, three in the second, one in the third, and two more in the fourth for a 7-0 lead. Julian Horner then blasted a grand slam in the fifth and Priest finished it off with a pair of strikeouts.
NORTH HALL 3,
NORTH OCONEE 2
In a battle of top six teams in Class 4A, the Trojans rallied from a 2-0 deficit to get the win on the road in a Region 8-4A crossover game.
Fourth-ranked North Oconee (4-4) struck first with two runs in the first inning off North Hall starter Campbell Payton. But from there, Payton and Micah Jimerson allowed just three more hits while combining to strike out 8 Titans batters.
The North Hall offense began to chip away. In the second, Luke Sanders knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly and the sixth-ranked Trojans (8-1) tied it up in the fifth on a Jon Jon Read sacrifice fly. They scored the eventual winning run in the top of the seventh when Kenny Foudy walked with the bases loaded.
Jimerson, who got the win, gave up a one-out single in the seventh but got a double play to end the game to preserve the win.
EAST FORSYTH 4,
MADISON COUNTY 0
The Class 4A seventh-ranked Broncos scored four runs in the top of the seventh to pull off a road win in Region 8-4A crossover action.
Matthew Lyons and Wyatt Barden each doubled in runs and Joseph Gurr capped the inning with a two-run single with two outs.
Will Moffiit then closed out the victory striking out the side in the bottom of the seventh for the save.
Bradlee Hamby got the win for East Forsyth (9-2) allowing no runs and fanning seven in six innings.
PRINCE AVENUE CHRISTIAN 7,
FLOWERY BRANCH 5
The Falcons could not hold onto a big lead in a tough loss to the Class A Division 1 No. 1-ranked Wolverines.
Flowery Branch (3-6) broke a scoreless tie with a five-run third inning. Two runs scored on Prince Avenue Avenue errors with Tristan Browning knocked in one run on a single and Tyler Folkers capped the inning with a two-run single.
The Wolverine (7-0) scored three in the fifth and four in the sixth to grab the lead. London Moshiri took the loss allowing four runs on three hits and four walks in one inning.
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCOREBOARD Monday, March 4
(All games start at 5:55 p.m. unless otherwise noted)
Apalachee 5, North Forsyth 3*
Chestatee 11, Cedar Shoals 1*
Dawson County 4-11, West Hall 5-0*
East Forsyth 4, Madison County 0*
Walnut Grove 16, East Hall 1*
Habersham Central 5, Gainesville 0*
North Hall 3, North Oconee 2*
Prince Avenue 7, Flowery Branch 5
(* -- denotes region contest)
