First-place battles and teams looking to stay in the playoff race will highlight key matchups around the northeast Georgia area on Tuesday.
In all, 14 games -- all in region play -- involving 17 area teams are set for Tuesday.
Two huge series could be the deciding factor for region titles in Region 8-4A and Region 8-3A. In Region 6-3A, the top four teams all are within two games of first place.
In Region 8-4A, Flowery Branch (12-7, 7-2 Region 8-4A) is taking on Class 4A seventh-ranked North Oconee (17-4, 8-1 Region 8-4A) with a chance to grab the top spot in the standings. However, the Falcons are just one game ahead of Walnut Grove (14-7, 6-3 Region 8-4A) coming into the week.
In Region 8-3A, Cherokee Bluff (13-8, 9-0 Region 8-3A) has climbed back into the Coaches Box rankings (9th in Class 3A) and the offense has been on fire, averaging 12.2 runs/game in region play. The Bears open a series against second-place Oconee County (16-5, 7-2 Region 8-3A) with a chance to clinch the region title with two wins in the series.
And once again in Region 6-3A, four big series could see plenty of movement among the top four teams. Class 3A third-ranked North Hall (14-5, 10-2 Region 6-3A) holds a slim lead over second place and fourth-ranked Pickens (17-4, 9-3 Region 6-3A) and just a two-game lead over both GAC (11-7, 8-4 Region 6-3A) and Dawson County (13-8, 8-4 Region 6-3A).
The Trojans take on last-place Johnson (2-19, 0-12 Region 6-3A) but the big series has Pickens traveling to Dawson County to open a three-game series. GAC heads to Chestatee (6-15, 5-7 Region 6-3A) to begin a series.
In Region 8-A D1, fifth-ranked Banks County (18-3, 12-0 Region 8-A D1) opens a series against Oglethorpe County in Homer.
(See below for the full schedule of Tuesday's games.)
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCHEDULE FOR TUESDAY, April 1
(First pitch at 5:55 unless otherwise noted)
Athens Academy at Commerce*
East Hall at West Hall (DH), 5 p.m.*
GAC at Chestatee*
Johnson at North Hall*
Lake Oconee Academy at Towns County, 5 p.m.*
Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe at Union County, 5:30 p.m.*
Lumpkin County at White County*
Monroe Area at Jefferson*
North Oconee at Flowery Branch* -- (moved to Wednesday)
Oconee County at Cherokee Bluff*
Oglethorpe County at Banks County, 5:30 p.m.*
Pickens at Dawson County*
Rabun County at Elbert County, 5:30 p.m.*
Walnut Grove at East Forsyth*
(* -- denotes region contest)
