GAINESVILLE, Ga. — East Forsyth used a six-run second inning to blow open a close game en route to an 8-4 win over No. 2 Cherokee Bluff at home on Wednesday.
It was a huge win for the Broncos (13-6, 4-4 Region 8-4A North) who snapped a two-game losing streak and evened the best-of-three series. The loss for Bluff (16-3, 4-1 Region 8-4A North) ended a seven-game win streak and dropped them into a tie with North Hall for first place in the region.
The two teams will return to Cherokee Bluff on Friday for the all-important third game.
Matthew Lyons had a double and a home run and drove in three runs to lead a 9-hit East Forsyth attack. Lucas Kniola drove in two runs on two hits for the Broncos.
Jackson Weir got the win in a solid effort for East Forsyth, going 6 1/3 innings giving up four runs on five hits and three walks.
Bluff trailed 8-2 heading into the seventh but plated a pair of runs before Lyons was able to get out of the jam for the save.
Tucker Holton started for Bluff and was touched for seven runs on six hits in 1 2/3 innings to get the loss.
DAWSON COUNTY 13,
LUMPKIN COUNTY 1
The Tigers scored six runs in the third, three in the fifth, and four in the seventh as they opened their three-game series with the Indians with a huge win.
The win kept ninth-ranked Dawson County (13-5, 7-3 Region 7-3A) within two games of Pickens for first place in the region.
The loss was the third-straight for the Indians (9-9, 5-5 Region 7-3A) who fell two games behind the Tigers in third place.
Sawyer Bearden had three hits, including a double, and four RBI to lead a 13-hit attack for the Tigers. Julian Horner and Carson Sosebee each drove in two runs for Dawson County.
Trey Harvey tossed a complete-game, three-hitter to get the win.
Hunter Davenport took the loss for Lumpkin County, yielding six runs on five hits in 2 2/3 innings.
GAINESVILLE 4,
APALACHEE 3
Baxter Wright scored on a Smith McGarvey single in the top of the eighth inning to give the Red Elephants their second straight Region 8-6A road game on Wednesday.
The win moved Gainesville (8-10, 5-6 Region 8-6A) into fourth place.
The Red Elephants scored a run in the first and two in the second to take a quick 3-0 lead. But the Wildcats (10-10, 6-2 Region 8-6A) tied the game with three runs in the fifth off McGarvey and Dawson Vaughn.
Vaughn, who had two hits and two RBI, would get the win pitching the final 3 2/3 innings allowing one run on two hits and fanning five.
McGarvey had three hits got the Red Elephants.
Gainesville is off until traveling to Jackson County on April 8.
HABERSHAM CENTRAL 11,
LANIER 1
Konner Burrell belted a three-run homer as the Raiders climbed to within one-half game of second place in Region 8-6A.
Kreed Barrett, Maverick Chitwood, and Callum Spivey all had two hits and combined for four RBI for Habersham Central (14-4, 6-3 Region 8-6A).
The Raiders scored one in the third to break a scoreless tie and blew it open with a five-run fourth. Burrell blasted his home in the sixth for 10-1 lead.
Konner Burrell earned the win for Habersham Central, pitching a complete game and scattering five hits and striking out eight.
The two teams will play again on Friday in Mt. Airy.
NORTH FORSYTH 7,
JACKSON COUNTY 1
North Forsyth won its seventh straight game at home on Wednesday to stay in first place in Region 8-6A.
The Raiders (14-6, 8-1 Region 8-6A) jumped out to 2-0 lead in the first on a RBI triple from Brady Holbrook and RBI groundout from Ty Womack. They added a run in the second and two more in the third on a two-run single from Jake Prince for a 5-1 lead.
That was more than enough for Brayden Weems, who got the win allowing one run on two hits and one run over five innings
Brody Strickland took the loss for Jackson County (6-13, 2-6 Region 8-6A)giving up five runs on three hits in 2 1/3 innings.
NORTH HALL 11,
CHESTATEE 1 (6 inn)
Luke Sanders had three hits, including a home run, and four RBI to pace the seventh-ranked Trojans to a second straight win over Chestatee on Wednesday.
The win pushed North Hall (9-10, 4-1 Region 8-4A North) into a first place tie with Cherokee Bluff. The loss dropped Chestatee (11-10, 4-4 Region 8-4A North) into a tie for third place with East Forsyth.
The War Eagles led 1-0 after a Jake Hitchcock sacrifice fly scoring Dylan Thompson. But it was all North Hall after that.
The Trojans tied it up in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly from Jon Jon Read and then blew it open with four runs each in the third and fourth innings.
Sanders cranked his three-run bomb in the third and Ajay Jones ripped a two-run double to highlight the fourth for North Hall.
Campbell Payton went the distance for North Hall, scattering three hits and fanning four to get the win.
Hitchcock took the loss for Chestatee, surrendering eight runs (five earned) on four hits, four walks, and he struck out three in 3 1/3 innings.
Dylan Thompson, Thomas Martens, and Colton Wilbanks each had one hit for the War Eagles.
The two teams will close out their series on Friday at Chestatee.
BUFORD 14,
CENTRAL GWINNETT 4
In the first game, Blake Russell drove in five runs to lead the Wolves to another Region 8-7A win at Gerald McQuaig Field in five innings.
Russell doubled in two runs in the second and had a three-run triple in the fifth. Chase Scarbrough tripled in three runs to get Buford going as part of a four-run first.
Buford (13-4, 7-0 Region 8-7A) led 7-0 after the third inning before the Black Knights (1-15, 0-7 Region 8-7A) scored four runs in the fifth. The Wolves put it out of reach with a seven-run fifth.
Jacob Nixon earned the win for Buford, scattering four hits and four runs over four innings. He struck out seven.
Aiden Keizer took the loss for Central Gwinnett.
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCOREBOARD Wednesday, March 27
Athens Academy 12, Union County 1*
Banks County 7, East Jackson 4*
Buford 14, Central Gwinnett 4*
Dawson County 13, Lumpkin County 1*
East Forsyth 8, Cherokee Bluff 4*
Flowery Branch 11, Clarke Central 1*
Gainesville 4, Apalachee 3*
Habersham Central 11, Lanier 1*
North Forsyth 7, Jackson County 1*
North Hall 11, Chestatee 1*
(* -- denotes region contest)
