Baseball: 8-4A begins play-in series; 4 teams duking it out in 7-3A for final 3 spots

The playoffs before the playoffs begin for several Northeast Georgia-area teams on Tuesday.

Region 8-4A will hold their region playoff series while two huge series in Region 7-3A to determine the seedings for the upcoming state tournament.

In the Region 8-4A, No. 1-ranked Cherokee Bluff (24-1, 11-1 Region 8-4A North) and third-ranked North Oconee (22-3, 12-0 Region 8-4A South) will play a doubleheader on Tuesday in Flowery Branch for the top two seeds. Both teams already are have qualified for the state playoffs. If neither team sweeps on Tuesday, a Game 3 will be held on Thursday in Bogart.

Meanwhile, North Hall and East Forsyth are fighting to get into the playoffs. Both begin best-of-three series on Tuesday. The Broncos (15-10, 8-4 Region 8-4A North) will play host to Walnut Grove (16-11, 5-7 Region 8-4A South) in a doubleheader while North Hall (17-9, 7-5 Region 8-4A North) travels to Seckinger (13-12, 8-4 Region 8-4A South) in a doubleheader. The winners advance to the state playoffs.

In Region 7-3A, No. 2 Pickens (24-4, 16-2 Region 7-3A) already has clinched the region title. But two huge series open on Tuesday with four teams still alive for the second through fourth spots.

Second-place Wesleyan (14-8, 11-4 Region 7-3A) opens a three-game series with third-place Lumpkin County (19-7, 10-5 Region 7-3A) with a doubleheader in Norcross. The series winner will take the No. 2 seed.

In Cleveland, White County (11-14, 6-9 Region 7-3A) opens a series against fourth-place Dawson County (13-13, 8-7 Region 7-3A). The Warriors sit two games back of the Tigers for the final spot and can steal a playoff spot with a series sweep. The Tigers can clinch a playoff spot with one win. However, the Tigers could still finish third with a sweep of White County and a Wesleyan sweep of Lumpkin County.

In Region 8-5A, the four teams are known with No. 3 Loganville (20-7, 10-0 Region 8-5A) already clinching the region title. Flowery Branch (18-10, 8-4 Region 8-5A) took over third place on Monday with a win over Heritage-Conyers. The Falcons can finish in third if Jefferson losses to Loganville on Tuesday. A Dragons win gives them the third spot and pushes Branch to fourth.

(Check below for the full schedule of baseball games on Tuesday involving area teams.)

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCHEDULE
(All games start at 5:55 p.m. unless otherwise noted)

Tuesday, April 18
Commerce at Washington-Wilkes, 5:30 p.m.
Dawson County at White County*
Jefferson at Loganville*
Lakeview Academy at George Walton*
Lumpkin County at Wesleyan (DH), 4:30 p.m.*
North Hall at Seckinger (DH), 4:30 p.m. (Region 8-4A playoffs)*
North Oconee at Cherokee Bluff (DH), 4 p.m. (Region 8-4A title series)*
Towns County at Rabun County, 5:30 p.m.
Walnut Grove at East Forsyth (DH), 4 p.m. (Region 8-4A playoffs)*

(* -- denotes region contest)

Cherokee Bluff senior and Georgia Southern-signee Bryce England has had a huge year for the No. 1-ranked Bears. He will lead them against No. 3 and defending Class 4A state champion North Oconee in a three-game series beginning on Tuesday for the Region 8-4A title.

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