FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Jacob Vokal drove in four runs, including a two-run double to cap a seven-run second inning, as No. 2 Cherokee Bluff ran away with a 9-2 win over East Forsyth to open a crucial Region 8-4A North series on Monday.
Vokal and KT Thompson each had three hits, with Thompson also knocking in a run.
Vokal was the beneficiary on the hill, getting the win after tossing 5 2/3 innings allowing just one run on six hits with 10 strikeouts. Jackson Grant and Logan Robinson each pitched two-thirds of an inning in relief.
However, eighth-ranked East Forsyth (12-6, 3-4 Region 8-4A North) led 1-0 in the first on a RBI single by Bradlee Hamby. But the Bears (16-2, 4-0 Region 8-4A North) exploded for seven runs in the second and two more in the fourth for a 9-1 lead on a two-run single from Vokal..
The Broncos scored a run in the top of the seventh on a Bluff error.
Trey Farr started for East Forsyth but gave up seven runs on seven hits in two-plus innings, striking out three and walking none.
The two teams will resume their best-of-three series on Wednesday at East Forsyth.
NORTH HALL 5,
CHESTATEE 1
The seventh-ranked Trojans took the first game of a key three-game Region 8-4A North series on the road at the Lynn Cottrell Complex.
North Hall (8-10, 3-1 Region 8-4A North) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a Luke Sanders sacrifice fly and a Chestatee error. The War Eagles (11-9, 4-3 Region 8-4A North) answered with a run in the bottom of the inning on a Thomas Martens RBI single.
North Hall pushed the lead to 3-1 in the third on a Charlie Wright RBI groundout. They made it 5-1 in the fifth on another Chestatee error and Sanders RBI groundout.
Kaleb Sexton earned the win for North Hall, yielding just four hits and one run over six innings, striking out three.
Brock Moody took the loss for the War Eagles surrendering six hits and five runs (just one earned) over six innings. Moody fanned four and walked three.
Moody had two hits for Chestatee. Dylan Thompson and Eli Chaffin each had one hit for the War Eagles.
Micah Jimerson, Korbyn Sosebee, Mills Lothridge, Jones, Jon Jon Read, and Wright all had one hit for North Hall.
JEFFERSON 4,
WINDER-BARROW 3
Steven Tavares capped a two-run seventh inning with a RBI single as the Dragons rallied from a 3-0 deficit to knock off the Bulldoggs on the road in a huge Region 8-5A win on Monday.
It was the third straight win for Jefferson (10-8, 6-1 Region 8-5A) who remained in second place in the standings.
Winder-Barrow (4-13, 2-3 Region 8-5A) led 3-0 after scoring a run in the second and two in the fourth. But the Dragons began their comeback in the fifth. Aiden Mixon scored on a passed ball and then in the sixth Jase Peoples tripled in a run to pull within 3-2. Mixon drove in a run in the seventh on a double and then scored the eventual game-winner.
Peoples started for Jefferson and surrendered just one hit and three runs (only two earned) over 3 2/3 innings. He fanned six and walked six.
Zach Grow got the win, however, pitching the final 3 1/3 innings giving up no runs and just two hits.
Caden Pieplow, Peoples, Mixon, Josh Causey, Rett Hemphill, Chris Law, and Tavares all had one hit for Jefferson.
LOGANVILLE 7,
FLOWERY BRANCH 4
The Red Devils used a five-run second inning to erase and early deficit en route to a road win over the Falcons in Region 8-5A.
The Falcons (7-10, 4-4 Region 8-5A) led 2-1 after the first on RBI singles from David Ojeda and David Miller but they could not hold it.
Loganville (11-9, 6-0 Region 8-5A) roughed up Branch starter Kyle Adamec, who was eight for seven runs on eight hits in four innings. However, just two runs were earned as the Falcons defense committed three errors on the day.
The Falcons chipped away, getting to within 7-4 with a run in the fifth and one in the seventh. They got the tying run to the plate in the seventh after a RBI double from Jackson Freeman with no one out.
But Loganville reliever Tucker Segars was able to get the final three outs without allowing another run to earn the save.
Flowery Branch next will play host to Clarke central on Wednesday at the Hog Mountain Sports Complex.
NORTH FORSYTH 14,
HABERSHAM CENTRAL 2
North Forsyth pushed its win streak to six straight after a second consecutive win over Habersham Central in Region 8-6A.
Habersham Central (13-4, 5-3 Region 8-5A) came in with a chance to split the first two games of the series but instead dropped its third straight and fell two games behind North Forsyth (12-6, 6-1 Region 8-5A) in the standings.
North Forsyth scored in all but one innings, jumping out to a 3-0 lead after the first and led 5-0 after two innings. North Forsyth led 10-0 before Habersham Central scored twice in the fifth.
Jordan Cox had two hits and drove in four runs, Bryson Germanenko had two hits and two RBI, and Jake Prince had a triple and two RBI for North Forsyth.
Brayden Seabold got the win for North Forsyth scattering five hits and allowing two runs over five innings. He struck out seven.
Maverick Chitwood struggled for Habersham Central giving up six runs on nine hits and three walks in three innings.
North Forsyth pounded out 15 hits for the game, led by three hits from Jace Cahill. Brady Holbrook had two hits for North Forsyth.
Chitwood and Hayden Gailey each had two hits for Habersham Central, with Gailey knocking in both Habersham Central runs.
Both teams will have big Region 8-6A games on Wednesday. North Forsyth will play host to Jackson County while Habersham Central travels to Lanier.
GAINESVILLE 3,
SHILOH 2
The Red Elephants snapped a two-game losing streak with a crucial win at Ivey-Watson Field on Monday.
Philip Williams hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth for the final lead and Silas Ingram struck out two in the top of the seventh to get the save and preserve the win.
Gainesville (7-10, 4-6 Region 8-5A) led 2-0 after scoring single runs in the first on a RBI single from Baxter Wright and the second on a Dawson Vaughn RBI groundout. But Shiloh (5-12, 1-9 Region 8-5A) answered with runs in the fourth and fifth to tie the game over Red Elephants’ starter Cooper Reid.
Reid scattered seven hits over six innings and struck out five.
Cohen Miller, Williams, and Adrian Medina at the bottom of the Gainesville lineup combined for four of the team's six hits, scored two runs, and also had an RBI.
The Red Elephants next will travel to Apalachee on Wednesday in another Region 8-6A battle.
WEST HALL 10,
JOHNSON 0 (5 inn)
The Spartans snapped a six-game losing streak with a five-inning win over their cross-town rivals.
West Hall (5-14) scored in every inning, putting the game out of reach with three runs each in the fourth and fifth innings.
Brett Sturm pitched a one-hitter for the Spartans, striking out seven and walking one in four innings of work..
Cooper Tapp drove in three runs on two hits and John Kendrick and Justin Shaffer each had two hits for West Hall.
Nathan Nguyen had Johnson’s lone hit.
SCHOLARS GUILD 9,
LANIER CHRISTIAN 5
LCA fell to 8-4 on the season and 1-2 in region with a loss on the road in Loganville.
The Lightning offense was led by Mikah Criste, who had two hits and scored three times. Josh Lebel had a pair of RBI while Tres Criste added a hit and scored two runs.
Gavin Strabala started the game on the mound with Tres Criste and Hayden David pitching in relief. The Lightning pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts in the loss.
LCA next will play host to Peachtree Academy on Tuesday.
(See the entire scoreboard for Monday below:)
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCOREBOARD Monday, March 25
(All games start at 5:55 p.m. unless otherwise noted)
Apalachee 9, Jackson County 7*
Buford 19, Central Gwinnett 0*
Cherokee Bluff 9, East Forsyth 2*
Gainesville 3, Shiloh 2*
Jefferson 4, Winder-Barrow 3*
Loganville 7, Flowery Branch 4*
North Forsyth 14, Habersham Central 2*
North Hall 5, Chestatee 1*
Scholars Guild Academy 9, Lanier Christian Academy 5
West Hall 10, Johnson 0
(* -- denotes region contest)
