JEFFERSON -- Chris Griggs went 6 1/3 innings scattering five hits and striking out seven to lead Jackson County to a 2-0 win over rival Jefferson in a key Region 8-AAA matchup Tuesday.
The Panthers (10-7, 5-5 Region 8-AAA) remained in fourth place with the win. They came in just one game ahead Elbert County in the standings.
The loss for the Dragons (14-4, 10-3) dropped them percentage points behind Oconee County for first place in the region.
Coleman Barbee pitched the final 2/3 of the game to earn the save striking out both batters he faced.
Joel Ellis had three hits and both RBI for Jackson County. Griggs had a hit and scored both runs for the Panthers. Chandler Saine and Travis Vickers each had one hit for Jackson County.
The Panthers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first on a RBI hit by Ellis scoring Griggs. It stayed that way until the seventh when Ellis again knocked in Griggs for a big insurance run.
Micah Carpenter went six innings yielding five hits and striking out eight for Jefferson. Taylor Wilkes, Will Breese, Jared Bates, Hunter Thompson, and Josh Cole each had one hit for the Dragons.
The two teams will play a double header on Friday at Jackson County.
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