DAHLONEGA, Ga. — Lumpkin County shocked No. 3 Pickens at home, in a 14-2 five-inning win at home on Thursday.
With the win, the Indians (10-6, 4-4 Region 6-3A) are one game out of third place in the region standings. Meanwhile, Pickens drops into a tie with Greater Atlanta for the third spot.
On Thursday, the Indians took control early, scoring four runs in the first inning with key hits from Tyler Boggs, Adian Rogers and Matthew Mitchell. They added three more in the second, capitalizing on a defensive error and a two-run double by Jayzen Johnson.
Leading 7-1 in the fourth inning, the Indians plated seven runs on three hits. Carson Horton and Rogers drove in multiple runs in the inning.
The Dragons (13-4, 5-3 Region 6-3A) managed two runs, with AJ Rice and Matthew Davis posting RBIs.
Lumpkin County's Johnson secured the win, allowing five hits and two runs over five innings.
Rogers led the Indians, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs. The team totaled 10 hits and drew nine walks.
DAWSON COUNTY 10,
CHESTATEE 0
The Tigers (12-6, 7-2 Region 6-3A) avenged Tuesday's 5-4 loss to the War Eagles with a dominating Game 3 on Thursday at home.
Carson Sosebee opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the first inning. Jacson Rickett added a two-run homer in the third, extending the lead to 3-0.
The Tigers scattered seven runs over the next three innings to run-rule the War Eagles (5-13, 4-5 Region 6-3A) in five innings.
Will Battles pitched five scoreless innings, striking out eight and allowing just four hits. Tripp Williams closed the game with a scoreless inning in relief.
Rickett and Elijah Odom led the offense with two hits and three RBIs each. The Tigers were aggressive on the bases, stealing eight bags.
WHITE COUNTY 4,
NORTH HALL 2
The Warriors took an early lead in the first inning and didn't look back, upsetting second-ranked North Hall at Lynn Cottrell Field on Thursday.
The win drops the Trojans (10-5, 6-2 Region 6-3A) into a tie for the Region 6-3A lead with Dawson County, who beat Chestatee 10-0 on Thursday.
The Warriors (7-9, 2-6 Region 6-3A) grabbed the lead in the first off a Shelton Ramey RBI single and a John Bannon walk, each bringing in a run and a 2-0 lead.
North Hall added a run in the first and fifth innings, and White County scored two more runs, one in the fifth and one in the sixth.
Grant Gooch earned the win for White County, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits over six innings, striking out four. S
Ty Kemp and Mills Lothridge each drove in a run for North Hall, while Kemp and Campbell Payton both collected two hits. Kemp also stole two bases.
Bannon and Ramey led White County with two hits and two RBIs each.
North Hall will travel to White County for Game 3 on Friday.
SONORAVILLE 6,
UNION COUNTY 4
Despite out-hitting Sonoraville, the Panthers (6-8, 2-3 Region 7-2A) fell on the road Thursday.
Union County struck first in the opening inning with Lane Haney's RBI single.
However, Sonoraville quickly responded, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first, aided by a double from Will Patterson and a Union County error.
Sonoraville extended their lead to 4-1 in the third with a Rush Faulk single.
Union added three runs in the fifth inning in the comeback attempt.
Haney and Gunnar Akins each collected two hits for Union County, while Stanfield led Sonoraville with two RBIs.
CHEROKEE 8,
BUFORD 2
The Warriors held No. 5 Buford (12-3, 8-1 Region 8-6A) scoreless through six innings en route to the six-run win at Gerald McQuaig Field on Thursday.
Cherokee took an early lead with two runs in the first inning off an RBI single from Alex Morales and a Buford error. Morales and Jayce Jones added to the lead with RBI singles in the second inning.
Reid Worley earned the win for Cherokee, throwing three scoreless innings with five strikeouts.
Buford’s Brody Hurd led the offense with two hits, while McCleon Jr and Caleb Griffin each drove in a run.
Morales led the Warriors at the plate, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs. The Warriors stole six bases.
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCOREBOARD FOR THURSDAY, March 20
Cherokee 8, Buford 2
Dawson County 10, Chestatee 0*
Lumpkin County 14, Pickens 2*
Sonoraville 6, Union County 4*
White County 4, North Hall 2*
(* -- denotes region contest)
