After a big week of region matchups all across northeast Georgia, several regions have begun to take shape as the season enters its final three weeks of the regular season.
Class AAAA No. 2 Buford, courtesy of a sweep over North Hall, is the only unbeaten team left in Region 8-AAAA and will try to put a clamp on things beginning Monday in Danielsville. The Wolves open a home-and-home series with the second-place Red Raiders and another sweep would give them essentially a four-game lead due to tiebrakers with eight games left. But, Madison County, North Oconee, and North Hall are all locked in a tight duel for second place with just one game separating all three teams.
Class AAA No. 2 Franklin County put a stranglehold on Region 7-AAA with its sweep of second-place Dawson County last week and has essentially a four-game lead with six games left. However, just two games separate the next three teams with West Hall jumping back into the playoff picture with a doubleheader sweep over Fannin County to leap frog East Hall for fourth place. The Spartans and Dawson County will play a three-game series this week and a sweep either way could spell trouble for the loser.
In Region 8-AAAAA, No. 1 Gainesville fought off two tough games against Heritage to set up a huge battle for first place with Winder-Barrow beginning Monday at Ivey-Watson in a home-and-home series. The Red Elephants and Bulldoggs are tied atop the standings but No. 4 Loganville is just a game back off both teams and will take on Discovery in a series this week. Lanier has made a charge in the standings climbing to fifth just one-half game behind Heritage. Then Longhorns take on two of the lower division teams in Apalachee twice and then Flowery Branch this week and could continue a drive for the playoffs.
Region 8-AAA did not move much this past week with Elbert taking two-of-three from Jackson County and Hart County taking two wins over Jefferson as the top four teams all played each other. Jefferson and Jackson County will play a huge three-game series this week with the Panthers needing a sweep to climb into second place. The second-place Dragons lead fourth-place Jackson County by 2 1/2 games.
Check out all the region standings and the schedules for this week beloew:
Area prep baseball standings as of April 4...
Region 8-AAAAA
TEAM........................Region...................Overall
Gainesville.................11-1........................14-3
Winder-Barrow...........11-1.........................14-3
Loganville....................9-1.........................11-3
Heritage, Conyers........9-5.........................12-7
Lanier.........................7-4.........................7-10
Salem........................5-6...........................6-9
Clarke Central.............4-7...........................8-9
Flowery Branch...........3-9.......................5-12-1
Discovery..................3-10.........................6-13
Apalachee.................3-10........................3-15
Cedar Shoals.............0-11........................0-15
Region 8-AAAA
TEAM........................Region...................Overall
Buford.........................8-0..........................15-2
Madison County...........8-2..........................17-2
North Oconee..............6-2............................9-7
North Hall....................7-3..........................12-7
Stephens County.........4-6...........................8-12
Chestatee...................3-5...........................6-11
Monroe Area...............2-6...........................7-11
White County..............2-8...........................5-12
Johnson......................0-8...........................1-17
Region 7-AAA
TEAM........................Region...................Overall
Franklin County............12-0........................19-0
Dawson County.............6-3.........................12-5
Lumpkin County..........5-6-1......................10-8-1
West Hall......................4-5........................10-7
East Hall....................4-7-1........................9-9-1
Fannin County...............3-6...........................7-9
Banks County................1-8.........................4-12
Region 8-AAA
TEAM........................Region...................Overall
Elbert County................8-1.......................15-3
Jefferson.......................9-3.......................13-5
Hart County...................7-5.......................10-9
Jackson County.............5-4 ....................9-8-1
Oconee County..............3-6.......................6-10
Morgan County...............3-6......................7-10
East Jackson...............1-11.......................4-15
Region 8-AA
TEAM........................Region...................Overall
Union County.................6-1........................10-4
Social Circle..................6-2........................10-6
Riverside Military............5-4.........................8-5
Rabun County................4-4........................6-12
Washington-Wilkes........4-4........................4-14
Oglethorpe County..........3-5.......................6-10
Greene County...............0-8.........................1-9
Region 8-A
TEAM........................Region...................Overall
Hebron Christian..........10-0......................18-2
George Walton..............8-0......................14-2
Prince Avenue...............5-3......................11-7
Providence Christian......5-5......................8-11
Athens Christian............3-5.....................6-10
Athens Academy...........3-5.......................7-7
Commerce....................3-7......................10-8
Towns County................2-6......................4-14
Lakeview Academy........1-9......................4-14
Schedule for Week of April 4-9, by regions:
Region 8-AAAAA
Monday, April 4
Winder-Barrow at Gainesville
Flowery Branch at Cedar Shoals
Apalachee at Lanier
Discovery at Loganville
Heritage at Clarke Central
Wednesday, April 6
Gainesville at Winder-Barrow
Cedar Shoals at Flowery Branch
Lanier at Apalachee
Loganville at Discovery
Friday, April 8
Gainesville at Cedar Shoals
Flowery Branch at Lanier
Winder-Barrow at Clarke Central
Heritage at Loganville
Apalachee at Salem
Region 8-AAAA
Monday, April 4
Chestatee at Stephens County
Johnson at North Hall
Buford at Madison County
North Oconee at Monroe Area
White County at Rabun County
Wednesday, April 6
Stephens County at Chestatee
North Hall at Johnson
Madison County at Buford
Monroe Area at North Oconee
Union County at White County
Friday, April 8
Monroe Area at White County
Buford at Johnson
North Oconee at Madison County
Chestatee at North Hall
Region 7-AAA
Tuesday, April 5
Fannin County at Banks County
East Hall at Franklin County
West Hall at Dawson County
Friday, April 8
Banks County at Fannin County (DH)
Franklin County at East Hall (DH)
Dawson County at West Hall (DH)
Region 8-AAA
Monday, April 4
Oglethorpe County at East Jackson
Jefferson at Jackson County
Oconee County at Hart County
Morgan County at Elbert County
Friday, April 8
Jackson County at Jefferson (DH)
Hart County at Oconee County (DH)
Elbert County at Morgan County (DH)
Region 8-AA
Monday, April 4
White County at Rabun County
Tuesday, April 5
Riverside Military at Rabun County
Social Circle at Washington-Wilkes
Greene County at Oglethorpe County
Wednesday, April 6
Union County at White County
Glascock County at Social Circle
Thursday, April 7
Galloway at Riverside Military
Friday, April 8
Greene County at Union County
Region 8-A
Tuesday, April 5
Lakeview Academy at Hebron Christian
George Walton at Prince Avenue
Athens Academy at Athens Christian
Wednesday, April 5
Hebron Christian at Lakeview Academy
Thursday, April 7
Prince Avenue at George Walton
Athens Christian at Athens Academy
Friday, April 8
Providence Christian at Commerce
Hebron Christian at Athens Academy
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