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Playoff baseball: Mixed bag for area teams on opening night of postseason

By Jeff Hart Sports Reporter
Posted 8:01AM on Saturday 28th April 2018 ( 5 years ago )

It was a rough opening for a number of northeast Georgia programs in the first round of the Georgia High School Association baseball playoffs.

(NOTE: Scroll down for a complete look at Friday's scores and Saturday's schedule for area programs.)

Only four of 14 teams across seven classifications advanced on Friday, led by defending Class 3A state champion North Hall, which swept Hart County behind a pair of pitching gems from Reese Olson and Caleb Clark. Buford in Class 5A dominated Rome in 9-0 and 12-0 whitewashes at Gerald McQuaig Field. The Wolves surrendered just two total hits in the two-game sweep.

Despite a losing regular season record, Rabun County stunned Rockmart in a 3-1, 3-0 sweep on the road in Class 2A. In Class A Public, Commerce pummeled Wheeler County 15-5 and 18-2 in a pair of five inning wins at home.

Four more northeast Georgia teams are still alive -- but must fight for those lives on Saturday.

Gainesville was forced to a deciding game three on Saturday against Cambridge at Ivey-Watson Field. The Red Elephants rallied for a 4-3 win in Game 1 but could not complete the sweep, falling 7-5 in the second game. The two teams will settle things on Saturday beginning at noon at Ivey-Watson.

In Class 5A, Flowery Branch took a nail-biting 1-0 win over Villa Rica in the opening game but fell short in a comeback bid in Game 2 with a 10-8 loss. The two teams will meet at 1 p.m. on Saturday in Villa Rica in a deciding Game 3.

In Class 4A, Jefferson and Chestatee split a pair of tight affais with the Dragons hanging on for a 3-2 win in the first game and the War Eagles taking a 5-3 win in the second game to send it a Game 3 on Saturday. They will meet at 1 p.m. in Jefferson in the rubber-match.

In Class 3A, Fannin County won its ninth straight game in an 11-7 victory over Franklin County but the Rebels could not finish the sweep falling 10-1 in the second game. They will meet at noon Saturday in Carnesville in the series finale.

And for five teams, Friday was the end of the line. North Foryth in Class 7A, Lanier in Class 6A, West Hall and Stephens County in Class 4A, and East Hall in Class 3A all saw their seasons end in two-game sweeps.

FIRST ROUND BASEBALL PLAYOFFS April 27 — April 28
(Games listed by time and in alphabetical order by visiting team.)

Friday, April 27
Scores

Class 7A
Mill Creek 5, North Forsyth 0
Mill Creek 7, North Forsyth 1
(Mill Creek wins series 2-0)


Class 6A
Gainesville 4, Cambridge 3
Cambridge 7, Gainesville 5
(Series tied 1-1)

Alpharetta 13, Lanier 1
Alpharetta 4, Lanier 2
(Alpharetta wins series 2-0)


Class 5A
Buford 9, Rome 0
Buford 12, Rome 0
(Buford wins series 2-0)

Flowery Branch 1, Villa Rica 0
Villa Rica 10, Flowery Branch 8
(Series tied 1-1)


Class 4A
North Oconee 12, West Hall 0
North Oconee 6, West Hall 5
(North Oconee wins series 2-0)

Blessed Trinity 5, Stephens County 2
Blessed Trinity 11, Stephens County 0
(Blessed Trinity wins series 2-0)

Jefferson 3, Chestatee 2
Chestatee 5, Jefferson 3
(Series tied 1-1)


Class 3A
Fannin County 11, Franklin County 7
Franklin County 10, Fannin County 1
(Series is tied 1-1)

Morgan County 6, East Hall 1
Morgan County 2, East Hall 0
(Morgan County wins series 2-0)

North Hall 5, Hart County 1
North Hall 11, Hart County 0
(North Hall wins series 2-0)
 

Class 2A
Rabun County 3, Rockmart 0
Rabun County 3, Rockmart 1
(Rabun County wins series 2-0)


Class A
Commerce 15, Wheeler County 5
Commerce 18, Wheeler County 2
(Commerce wins series 2-0)


Saturday, April 28
(Game 3s)

Class 6A
Cambridge at Gainesville, 12 p.m.

Class 5A
Flowery Branch at Villa Rica, 1 p.m.

Class 4A
Chestatee at Jefferson, 1 p.m.

Class 3A
Fannin County at Franklin County, 12 p.m.


Wednesday, April 26
Scores
Class 3A
Greater Atlanta Christian 10, Jackson County 0
Greater Atlanta Christian 7, Jackson County 2
(GAC wins series 2-0)

North Hall's Caleb Clark pitches during Game 2 of the Trojans' sweep of Hart County on Friday in the Class 3A first round of the state playoffs in Gainesville.

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