GAINESVILLE, Ga. — North Hall finished off the sweep of rival Chestatee on Friday, with a 10-4 win at the Lynn Cottrell Complex and moved into first place in Region 8-4A North at the same time.
The Trojans (10-10, 5-1 Region 8-4A North) jumped on Chestatee with four runs in the first inning, getting RBI doubles from Luke Sanders and Mills Lothridge in front of a fielder’s choice RBI from Korbyn Sosebee. North Hall pushed the lead to 8-0 with three runs in the fourth, which was more than enough for Sanders, who started and went four innings, scattering three hits and two walks for the win.
The War Eagles (11-11, 4-5 Region 8-4A North) scored three runs in the sixth on a Eli Chaffinwalk with the bases loaded and a two-run double from Thomas Martens to cut it to 9-4. But they could get no closer.
Dylan Thompson took the loss allowing five runs on seven hits in three innings
EAST FORSYTH 8,
CHEROKEE BLUFF 3
East Forsyth got another solid pitching performance on Friday, as three pitchers combined for a four-hitter in a series-clinching win over No. 2 Cherokee Buff.
The win for the eighth-ranked Broncos (14-6, 5-4 Region 8-4A North) over the Bears (16-4, 4-2 Region 8-4A North) and moved them one game ahead of Chestatee for third place in the subregion.
Cherokee Bluff fell to second place behind North Hall with the loss.
Matthew Lyons got things started quickly for East Forsyth, blasting a three-run homer in the first inning. The Bears answered with a run in the bottom of the inning on a RBI groundout from Caleb Miele.
East Forsyth made it 5-1 in the third n RBI hits from Will Moffit and Bradlee Hamby. Bluff responded again with two in the fourth on a balk and a passed ball to get within 5-3.
The Bears had chances in the fifth and sixth to cut into the lead but could not get the timely hit. The Broncos scored three in the seventh, highlighted by a two-run single from Chace Hall.
Hamby started and went three innings, allowing three runs on four hits for East Forsyth. Wyatt Barden and Trey Farr pitched the final four innings allowing no runs and no hits.
Seven different pitchers went to the hill for Cherokee Bluff, with Beau Bruns starting and taking the loss, giving up five runs on three hits in 2 1/3 innings.
HABERSHAM CENTRAL 6,
LANIER 5
Konner Burrell drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs to cap a two-run, seventh-inning rally for the Raiders in a big Region 8-6A game at home on Friday.
The Raiders (15-4, 7-3 Region 8-6A) trailed 3-1 after the third and 5-2 in the fifth inning before beginning their comeback. They got run in the bottom of the fifth on a Hudson Gailey RBI groundout and another in the sixth on a Spencer Frady RBI single to get within 5-4.
In the seventh, they tied the game on a Kade Barrett single after a hit-by-pitch and Gailey single to open the inning. An intentional walk to load the bases set up the eventual game-winning walk by Burrell for the win.
Kaleb Chastain earned the win in relief, surrendering just three hits and ine walk in three innings. He took over for Kade Nicholson, who started and went four innings, allowing five runs on five hits with four strikeouts.
JACKSON COUNTY 3,
NORTH FORSYTH 1
Jack Teague scattered six hits and gave up just one run in a complete-game effort in a key Region 8-6A win on Friday.
The win for the Panthers (7-14, 3-7 Region 8-6A) snapped a three-game losing streak and also ended the Raiders (14-7, 8-2 Region 8-6A) seven-game win streak.
North Forsyth took the first lead with a Ty Womack sacrifice fly in the fourth. But the Panthers answered back in the fifth.
Karson Wheeler doubled in a run to tie the game and then they took the lead in the sixth on a two-out, two-run double from Nick Austin in the sixth.
The Raiders got the tying run to the plate in the seventh but Teague got out of the inning to preserve the win.
Seth Dixon took the loss for North Forsyth, pitching six innings, allowing three runs (two earned) and striking out four.
APALACHEE 10,
GAINESVILLE 0 (6 inn)
The Red Elephants two-game win streak came to end at Ivey-Watson against a red-hot Wildcats offense.
TJ Wilson belted a grand slam to highlight a nine-run sixth inning. Until then, it was a tight pitcher’s duel between Traver Park of Apalachee and Gainesville’s Cohen Miller. Apalchee led just 1-0 on a Nate Valles RBI hit in the fourth.
Park finished with two hits and three RBI to go with pitching a complete-game, two-hitter with six strikeouts in six innings for the Wildcats (12-10, 8-2 Region 8-6A).
Miller went five innings, scattering three hits and allowing just the one run with five strikeouts.
Cooper Reid took the loss, giving up seven runs, but none were earned as Gainesville (8-11, 5-7 Region 8-6A) committed seven errors on the day.
Miller and Baxter Wright had the two Gainesville hits.
FLOWERY BRANCH 13,
CLARKE CENTRAL 5
David Ojeda had three hits, including a home run, and drove in five runs to lead the Falcons to a Region 8-5A road win.
Branch (9-11, 6-4 Region 8-5A) led 4-1 after the third inning but Ojeda’s three-run bomb, and a two-run homer from Tristan Browning, in the fourth highlighted a six-run inning to push the lead 10-1.
The Gladiators (2-15, 0-8 Region 8-5A) pulled with 10-5 after a four-run fifth but the Falcons plated three more in the sixth and went on to the victory.
Chase Hammock got the win for the Falcons, going 4 2/3 innings allowing five runs on three hits and fanned six.
Jacob Miller pitched the final 2 1/3 innings allowing no runs and scattering three hits for the save.
DAWSON COUNTY 15,
LUMPKIN COUNTY 5
The Class 3A ninth-ranked Tigers used a six-run third inning to break an early tie en route to a Region 7-3A win on the road.
The victory also gave Dawson County (14-6, 8-4 Region 7-3A) the aries win over the Indians (10-10, 6-6 Region 7-3A) and set up a huge series with No. 2 Pickens (18-3, 11-1 Region 7-3A) next week for a shot to take over first place.
In the big third inning, Preston Bannister, Sawyer Bearden, Jacson Rickett, Davis Glass, and Carson Sosebee all had RBI hits.
Joshua Preist got the win for the Tigers, giving up four runs on just three hits and three walks and he fanned six in six innings of work.
Alejandro Narvaz took the loss for Lumpkin County, getting touched for 9 runs on 10 hits in 2 1/3 innings.
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCOREBOARD Friday, March 29
Apalachee 10, Gainesville 0 (6 inn)*
Athens Academy 4-11, Union County 0-0*
Banks County 1-11, East Jackson 0-1*
Dawson County 15, Lumpkin County 5*
East Forsyth 8, Cherokee Bluff 3*
Flowery Branch 13, Clarke Central 5*
Habersham Central 6, Lanier 5*
Jackson County 3, North Forsyth 1*
North Hall 10, Chestatee 4*
(* -- denotes region contest)
