HOMER, Ga. — Banks County stayed unbeaten in region 8-A Division and ran its win streak to 11 straight with 10-2 and 6-5 wins over Athens Academy on Friday at home.
Gaven Sears added to his northeast Georgia-leading total with his 8th home run of the season as part of 3-for-3 day at the plate. The Leopards (18-3, 12-0 Region 8-A D1) scored twice in the first, three more in the second, and led 9-0 after a four-run third.
Holden Thomas got the win for Banks County, allowing just one hit and no runs over four innings while striking out two.
In the second game, Banks County scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh, capped by an RBI gorundout from Sears for the game-winner.
GAINESVILLE 8,
SECKINGER 1
The Red Elephants completed the sweep over the Class 5A fifth-ranked Jaguars behind a stellar pitching performance from Daniel Rico.
Rico scattered four hits and fanned three in holding the Jaguars to just one run in a complete game effort.
Meanwhile, the Gainesville (9-12, 7-5 Region 7-5A) offense scored in all but two innings, led by Cohen Miller, who had two hits, including a triple, and three RBI. CJ Saudarg had two hits and two RBI for the Red Elephants.
The win moved Gainesville within one game of third place in the region behind Seckinger (13-8, 8-4 Region 7-5A).
Gainesville, which has won 7 of its last 8 games overall, next will open a three-game series with Chattahoochee on Monday at Ivey-Watson.
CHEROKEE BLUFF 14-13
JEFFERSON 9-5
The Bears remained unbeaten in Region 8-3A with an impressive doubleheader sweep on Friday and to complete a three-game sweep of the Dragons.
Bluff (13-8, 9-0 Region 8-3A) took advantage of 11 walks in the opening game, with Bryce Fontenot driving in three runs. Jordan Wilkerson had three hits for Bluff, who used a 4-run fourth and then a 7-run third to roll out an 11-2 lead.
In the second game, the Bears pounded out 15 hits, led by three each from Wilkerson and KT Thompson. But Fontenot also continued his strong work at the plate belting a pair of home runs and driving in five runs.
Thompson and Ethan England both knocked in two runs for Bluff.
Bluff next will take on second place Oconee County (16-5, 7-2 Region 8-3A) in another huge three-game series beginning on Tuesday in Flowery Branch.
FLOWERY BRANCH 9-13,
EASTSIDE 2-3
The Falcons rebounded from an opening-series loss to the Eagles in Region 8-4A with a solid sweep of a crucial doubleheader on Friday at the Hog Mountain Sports Complex.
The two wins kep Branch (12-7, 7-2 Region 8-4A) in second place, one game behind North Oconee (17-4, 8-1 Region 8-4A) in the region standings.
Those two teams will open a three-game series for first place on Tuesday at Hog Mountain.
NORTH HALL 3,
LUMPKIN COUNTY 0
The Trojans finished off the sweep of the Indians in Region 6-3A.
The Class 3A third-ranked Trojans (14-5, 10-2 Region 6-3A) got a complete game from Branson Crawford, who scattered just three hits and struck out four to get the win.
North Hall scored all three runs in the fifth, with Mills Lothridge and Custis Honeycutt getting RBI doubles and Kenny Foudy drawing a bases loaded walk.
Mason Hester took the loss for Lumpkin County, surrendering three runs on six hits and striking out four in 4 1/3 innings.
Honeycutt and Foudy each had two hits for North Hall.
Adian Rogers, Aidyn Flanagan, and Jayzen Johnson had the three Lumpkin County (10-10, 4-8 Region 6-3A).
CHESTATEE 5,
WHITE COUNTY 4
The War Eagles snapped a four-game losing streak and moved into fifth place in Region 6-3A with a win at the Lynn Cottrell Complex coupled with Lumpkin County’s loss to North Hall on Friday.
White County (9-11, 4-8 Region 6-3A) jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the first and led 4-1 in the third.
But Chestatee (6-15, 5-7 Region 6-3A) cut the lead 3-2 in the bottom of the third and scored three times in the fifth. Trenton Eaton singled in a run and Cort Hagerman followed with a two-run single for the eventual winning runs.
Thomas Martens earned the win for Chestatee, surrendering just one hit and fanning four in three innings in relief.
Shelton Ramey took the loss for White County, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits in five innings. He struck out seven and walked five.
Cooper Garrett and Alex Freeman two hits each for White County.
MILL CREEK 3,
BUFORD 2
The Hawks salvaged the third game of the two teams Region 8-6A series on Friday at home.
The win moved Mill Creek (11-8, 10-2 Region 8-6A) into a tie with Buford (14-5, 10-2 Region 8-6A) atop the standings.
Buford trailed 1-0 after the second inning but rallied to take a 2-1 lead with single runs in the third and fourth. But the Hawks answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game and got the eventual game-winner in the sixth on a RBI hit from Nick Felix.
Three Mill Creek pitchers limited Buford to just six hits.
Kanon Nelson took the tough-luck loss giving up three hits and two walks in two innings.
Lio Garcia and Ian Chafin had two hits apiece for Buford.
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCORES FOR FRIDAY, March 28
Banks County 10-6, Athens Academy 2-5*
Cherokee Bluff 14-13, Jefferson 9-5*
Chestatee 5, White County 4*
Dawson County 9, GAC 8*
Flowery Branch 9-13, Eastside 2-3*
Forsyth Central 4, North Forsyth 3*
Gainesville 8, Seckinger 1*
Habersham Central 3, Apalachee 2*
Loganville 15, Jackson County 0*
North Hall 3, Lumpkin County 0*
Mill Creek 3, Buford 2*
North Oconee 6-3, East Forsyth 4-1*
Oconee County 15-7, West Hall 1-5*
Pickens 11, Johnson 1*
Prince Avenue 13, East Jackson 3*
Rabun County 9-14, BASA 8-6*
Towns County 11-12, Lincoln County 3-11*
Union County 9, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 8*
(* -- denotes region contest)
