BUFORD, Ga. — In a potential playoff preview, region leaders Buford (8-6A) and Parkview (4-6A) staged a late-season and intriguing doubleheader on Tuesday at Gerald McQuaig Field.
The Wolves made a playoff statement taking 6-0 and 10-7 wins.
In the first game, senior Braden Burton tossed a 2-hit, complete game shutout to earn his fifth win of the season. He was nearly unhittable, setting the Rams down in order in five of the seven innings.
Buford (21-6) took a 3-0 lead in the second, scoring all three runs with two outs. The Wolves got a RBI double from freshman Payton Walker and a two-RBI single from sophomore Ian Chafin.
In the 4th inning, Chafin added another two-out, RBI hit and two batters later senior Cannon Goldin delivered a two-run single to right pushing it to 6-0.
Adrian Figueroa and Landon Arroyos had the two Grayson hits.
In the second game, Buford scored in all but one inning, running out to a 9-0 lead at one point. Chafin had a hit and two RBI while Lio Garcia had a hit and three RBI for the Wolves.
Grayson stormed back to pull within the final score, scoring four runs in the sixth and three in the seventh. The Rams had the tying run in the on-deck circle when Carson Reeves got the final two outs for the save for Buford.
Dexter McCleon Jr. got the win, allowing just two hits and fanning five in five innings.
DAWSON COUNTY 6,
NORTH HALL 5
The Tigers delayed North Hall’s bid to clinch at least second place in Region 6-3A with a huge win at home.
The win for the Tigers (14-11, 9-7 Region 6-3A) kept them in third place as the series heads to North Hall (17-6, 13-3 Region 6-3A). The Trojans dropped into a tie for first place with Pickens (21-4, 13-3 Region 6-3A) with the loss.
The Tigers jumped out to a 4-0 lead scoring three runs in the first, powered by a two-run single from Dylan Edwards. Davis Glass drove in a run two batters later.
The Trojans answered back to tie the game, plating three runs in fourth, highlighted by a three-run home run to left from Branson Crawford.
But Dawson County reclaimed the lead 6-4 with two runs in the bottom of the fourth on another two-run hit from Edwards.
North Hall did not go quietly. The Trojans scored a run on a sacrifice fly from Mills Lothridge and had the tying run on base. But Tripp Williams was able to get the final two batters to earn the save.
Case Gravitt earned the win for Dawson County, surrendering five hits and four runs over five innings.
Micah Jimerson took the loss for North Hall, giving up two runs on four hits in five innings of relief.
The series moves to North Hall on Thursday.
WHITE COUNTY 6,
GAC 3
W\The Warriors scored four runs in the top of the seventh to stun the Spartans and dealt them a costly loss in Region 6-3A action on Tuesday in Lilburn.
GAC (14-8, 11-5 Region 6-3A) led 2-0 after a pair of runs in the second and broke a 2-2 tie a run in the fifth. But White County (11-13, 6-10 Region 6-3A) exploded in the seventh.
Alex Freeman, who had three hits on the day, provided the big blow with a three-run double for a 5-3 lead. Sawyer Gailey added an RBI single with two out for a huge insurance run.
Shelton Ramey got the win for White County, tossing a near-perfect three innings in relief, retiring the final seven batters. He allowed no hits and struck out three.
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCOREBOARD FOR TUESDAY, April 8
Buford 6-10, Grayson 0-7
Cherokee Bluff 11, West Hall 1*
Dawson County 6, North Hall 5*
Elbert County 6, Banks County 0*
Pickens 9, Chestatee 0*
Rabun County 8, Athens Academy 2*
White County 6, GAC 3*
(* -- denotes region contest)
