GAINESVILLE, GA — North Hall needed a win against Chestatee and a Pickens loss to Greater Atlanta Christian on Thursday to capture the Region 6-3A championship.
Well ... both happened. The Trojans left no doubt in the 11-4 win over the rival War Eagles at Lynn Cottrell Field, and GAC knocked off Pickens, 5-3, in Game 1 of the doubleheader in Lilburn.
North Hall remains fifth in the Class 3A postseason rankings, which will seed the playoffs. However, they'll be ranked with the No. 1 seeds and could be the overall No. 3 seed.
Meanwhile, it wasn't all easy for the Trojans on Thursday. They had to rally after the War Eagles opened the first inning with a 2-o lead, thanks to an RBI from Ethan Dunn and a Eli Chaffin scoring later in the inning to give the War Eagles the early lead.
But the Trojans wasted no time and responded with a two-run first inning to tie the game.
Ty Kemp and Mills Lothridge scored to tie the game.
Lothridge added another RBI on a groundout in the second inning to push the lead to 4–2. The Trojans extended their advantage again in the third with an RBI single from Branson Crawford and another RBI double from Kemp, to take a 6–2 advantage.
Kenny Foundy sent a solo shot over the right field wall in the fourth inning to make it 7–2. The Trojans added three more runs in the fifth and one in the sixth.
Chestatee scored two runs in the seventh inning.
Campbell Payton picked up the win for North Hall, allowing just three hits and two runs over four solid innings, striking out two and walking two.
Thomas Martens, Cort Hagerman, Zac Benna, Chaffin, Dunn, and Head all recorded hits for the War Eagles.
Kemp was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs and two runs scored to lead the Trojans at the plate. Lothridge contributed two hits and two runs, while the Trojans also swiped four bases and turned a double play.
Both teams return to action on Friday.
DAWSON COUNTY 6,
LUMPKIN COUNTY 2
The final playoff guaranteed playoff spot will come down to Game 3 on Friday in Dahlonega.
Both teams will likely make the playoffs regardless of Friday's outcome. However, whoever wins on Friday will improve their postseason ranking and be guaranteed a spot.
Regardless of what happens on Friday, the Tigers (15-14, 10-10 Region 6-3A) fended off the Indians (17-12, 10-10 Region 6-3A) at home, taking a 6-2 lead in the fifth inning. Davis Glass broke the tie with a two-run groundout, followed by RBI singles from Jim Letchworth and Bannister to make it 6–2.
Early on, though, after the Tigers grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second inning off a Preston Bannister two-run single, the Indians tied the game two innings later behind an RBI groundout from Tyler Boggs and a run-scoring single from Matthew Mitchell.
Will Battles started for Dawson County, going 3 2/3 innings and allowing two runs on six hits. Tripp Williams, in relief, tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings and giving up just two hits.
Bannister led the Tigers at the plate with two hits and three RBIs.
Kendal Lee went 2-for-2 to lead Lumpkin County.
JOHNS CREEK 10,
GAINESVILLE 2
A five-run seventh inning crushed any hopes of a Gainesville comeback in the loss at Ivey Watson Field on Thursday.
The loss leaves the Red Elephants in third place and a No. 3 seed in the Class 6A playoffs next week.
Game 3 is set for Friday at Johns Creek.
Andrew Rice and Cohen Miller each drove in a run for Big Red in the fourth inning.
CHEROKEE BLUFF 5,
LANIER 1
Ethan England and Bubba Coleman smashed home runs late to seal the Bears' win over Lanier on the road Thursday.
Landon Kemp was tough to hit, allowing just one run over three hits in six innings of work.
Coleman sparked the Bears early on, driving in the game’s first run on a single in the opening inning. Jordan Wilkerson added to the lead in the second, singling down the left field line to make it 2–0.
England and Coleman each launched solo home runs to stretch the lead to 5–1 in the seventh.
Coleman and Wilkerson each notched two hits and two RBIs to lead the offense. England and Kemp also stole two bases.
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCOREBOARD FOR THURSDAY, April 17
Cherokee Bluff 5, Lanier 1
Dawson County 6, Lumpkin County 2*
East Forsyth 6, Madison County 3*
GAC 5, 7, Pickens 3, 7*
Johns Creek 10, Gainesville 2*
North Hall 11, Chestatee 4*
White County 21, Johnson 0*
(* -- denotes region contest)
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