The first round of the GHSA baseball playoffs was completed Thursday for northeast Georgia area teams with a trio of potential Game 3 thrillers, all in Class 3A, and Commerce opening Class A Public with a huge statement.
Also, Class 6A, Class 4A, and Class 2A of the GHSA soccer playoffs began with several area girls teams in action.
And, a pair of northeast Georgia tennis teams advanced to the semifinals.
In the baseball action, North Hall advanced to the second round with another stellar pitching performance in a 3-0 win over Coahulla Creek to win their Class 3A best-of-three series 2-1 at Jody Davis Field. Commerce also advanced to the second round demolishing Crawford County 11-2 and 20-2 in a two-game sweep at home in Class A Public.
However, No. 1-ranked, and defending Class 4A state champion Jefferson was stunned in its Game 3 by Westminster, 5-4, in a game that saw the Dragons knocked out with the winning run on base in the seventh inning. Newcomer Cherokee Bluff won its first-ever playoff game on Wednesday to push No. 3 Ringgold to a Game 3 but the Bears were routed 16-1 in four innings as their first foray into the playoffs came to an end.
In first-round girls soccer action, third-ranked Flowery Branch hammered Gilmer 10-0 while fellow Region 7-4A foe White County fell 1-0 to Heritage-Catoosa in Class 4A. The Habersham Central girls lost a 2-1 heartbreaker in overtime to Alexander on the road in Class 6A.
In Class 2A girls action, Union County whipped Temple 8-0 while Rabun County was knocked out in a 12-2 loss to Lamar County.
In tennis action, the Buford boys advanced to their third consecutive Class 5A semifinal with a 3-1 win over Statesboro at home. The North Hall girls advanced to their second Class 3A semifinals in the last three season with a 3-0 win over Brantley County.
THURSDAY'S FIRST ROUND BASEBALL SCORES
Class 3A (Game 3s)
Ringgold 16, Cherokee Bluff 1 (Ringgold wins series 2-1)
North Hall 3, Coahulla Creek 0 (North Hall wins series 2-1)
Westminster 5, Jefferson 4 (Westminster wins series 2-1)
Class A Public
Commerce 11-20, Crawford County 2-2 (Commerce wins series 2-0)
THURSDAY'S FIRST ROUND SOCCER SCORES
Class 6A
Alexander 2, Habersham Central girls 1
Class 4A
Flowery Branch girls 10, Gilmer 0
Heritage-Catoosa 1, White County girls 0
Class 2A
Union County girls 8, Temple 0
Lamar County 12, Rabun County girls 2
THURSDAY'S QUARTERFINAL ROUND TENNIS SCORES
Class 5A
Buford boys 3, Statesboro 1
Class 3A
North Hall girls 3, Brantley County 0
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