Baseball scoreboard: Bluff opens huge 8-4A North series with road win; EaFo, NoFo take region wins

GAINESVILLE, Ga. — No. 2 Cherokee Bluff drew first blood in its huge Region 8-4A North series with No. 7 North Hall.

The Bears rallied from a 2-0 deficit to score three runs over the final two innings to escape Lynn Cottrell Field with a 3-2 win on Monday.

Bluff (17-4, 5-2 Region 8-4A North) got the eventual game-winner in the top of the seventh on a RBI triple from Caleb Miele scoring KT Thompson, who had reached on a walk.

But the Trojans (10-11, 5-2 Region 8-4A North) did not go quietly. Micah Jimerson and Ajay Jones both singled, putting the winning run on base with two outs. But Jack Sparks got Luke Sanders to fly out to right to end the game and preserve the win.

It was a pitcher’s duel throughout as Tucker Holton and Kaleb Sexton battled deep into the game. Holton went 6 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on five hits and no walks while striking out 11 to get the win. Sexton went 5 1/3 surrendering two runs on six hits and fanned two for North Hall but Sanders took the loss, giving up one run on three hits in 1 2/3 innings.

The Trojans led 2-0 after Korbyn Sosebee homered in the fourth and Jimerson blasted a solo shot in the fifth. But the Bears answered with two runs in the sixth on a hit batter with the bases loaded and a RBI single from Landon Kemp.

The two teams will resume their series on Wednesday in Flowery Branch.

NORTH FORSYTH 6,
LANIER 2

The Raiders rallied from a 2-0 deficit to stay tied atop the Region 8-6A standings.

The Longhorns touched Brayden Seabolt for two quick runs on three hits in the top of the first but the junior settled down from there.

Seabolt allowed just four more hits the rest of the way while striking out 11 batters in six innings of work. The offense went to work in the second.

North Forsyth (15-7, 9-2 Region 8-6A) got single runs in the second, third, and fourth to take a 3-2 lead and got three big insurance runs in the sixth on a RBI double from Brady Holbrook and a two-run single from Seth Dixon.

APALACHEE 3,
HABERSHAM CENTRAL 2

The Wildcats were able to remain tied atop Region 8-6A with a win at home on Monday. Apalachee came in tied with North Forsyth at the top of the standings with Habersham Central just a game back.

Habersham Central (15-5, 7-4 Region 8-6A) jumped out to a quick start with two runs in the first on a two-run homer from Konner Burrell. But despite five more hits and six walks, they would not be able to plate another run, leaving the bases loaded in the first as part of stranding nine runners, five in scoring position, for the game.

Apalachee (13-10, 9-2 Region 8-6A) got a run back in the second scoring on a double play and a Traver Park home run in the fourth tied the game at 2.

It stayed that way until the Wildcats got an unearned run on a Raiders error in the bottom of the sixth.

Nate Valles got the win for Apalachee in relief, pitching the final two innings, allowing no runs on a hit and a walk while striking out three.

Maverick Chitwood took the loss for Habersham Central, going the distance, scattering four hits with no walks and fanning four in six innings.

EAST FORSYTH 10,
EAST HALL 0 (6 inn)

The Broncos scored in a ll but one inning in taking a run-rule win on the road on Monday in Region 8-4A North action.

East Forsyth (15-6, 6-4 Region 8-4A North) led just 2-0 after the third when Wyatt Cooke and Joseph Gurr both had RBI singles as part of a five-run fourth to blow the game open.

Meanwhile, the trio of Wyatt Barden, Will Swygman, and Jonathon Turner combined for a 1-hitter on the mound for the Broncos.

Zach Aschoff and Cooke each had two hits for East Forsyth.

PICKENS 21,
DAWSON COUNTY 2 (5 inn)

In a battle of the top two teams in Region 7-3A, the Tigers could not hold onto an early lead. A RBI groundout and a RBI single from Davis Glass gave Dawson County (14-7, 8-5 Region 7-3A) a quick 2-0 lead in the first.

But the Class 3A No. 2-ranked Dragons (19-3, 12-1 Region 7-3A) exploded for nine runs on six hits, including a pair of home runs, two hit batters, a walk, and an error in the second inning. They added six more in the third and five in the fifth to finish off the huge win.