DAWSONVILLE — Cherokee Bluff clinched the season series with Dawson County Wednesday night with a 12-7 win in Region 7-3A action.
The Bears (9-4,-4-1 Region 7-3A) trailed 4-1 after the second inning but Bryce England smashed a two-run home run in the third to highlight a four-run frame as they grabbed a 5-4 lead and never let go. Cherokee Bluff blew it open with five runs in the fourth. Jackson Kemp belted a solo homer in the sixth for the Bears.
Braxton Beal got the win for Cherokee Bluff going 2 1/3 innings in relief allowing two runs on one hit and three walks. He fanned three as well.
Mauricio Hernandez took the loss for the Tigers (9-4, 1-4 Region 7-3A) who have dropped four straight.
Hudson Sapp, Kristian Kelley, Nick Mullinax, Andrew Burt, and Bo Lewis all had a hit and an RBI for Dawson County.
GAINESVILLE 3,
MADISON COUNTY 2
The Red Elephants’ Ethan Payne singled in Cam Goss in the bottom of the seventh on the first pitch he saw to lift the Red Elephants to a much-needed win at Ivey-Watson Field.
The victory for Gainesville (5-7) snapped a four-game losing streak.
Madison County led 2-1 after the fourth inning but Gainesville tied it with a run in the fifth to set up Payne’s game-winner.
Zach Valentine and Payne each had two hits and Victor Vega, Harris Bell, and Grady Vardeman had one hit apiece for Gainesville
Valentine also got the win on the mound pitching three innings of one-hit ball while striking out five in relief.
Cooper Brown took the loss for the Red Raiders giving up one hit and walking two in just one-third of an inning.
GREATER ATLANTA CHRISTIAN 5,
NORTH HALL 4
The Trojans could not hold an early lead as the Spartans rallied to even the two teams’ key Region 7-3A series Wednesday. North Hall won 9-2 on Monday and the two teams will finish the series on Friday at Lynn Cottrell Field.
GAC (8-3, 4-1 Region 7-3A) led 2-0 after the first inning but North Hall (11-4, 3-2 Region 7-3A) plated three runs in the second to take the lead. But the Spartans answered with a run in second and single runs in the fourth and sixth to push their lead to 5-3.
The Trojans, however, scored a run in the seventh and had the go-ahead run at the plate but could not keep the rally going.
Jake Johnson earned the win for GAC going 5 2/3 innings in relief giving up just one run on three hits.
Tyler Brooks took the loss for North Hall but was not helped by five errors by the defense. Brooks allowed just four hits and walked two and struck out six in five innings. Only one of the four runs he allowed was earned.
Jackson Dyer had two RBI while Bradford Puryear and Jay Johnson had a hit and an RBI and Brooks and Wes Tadman each had one hit for the Trojans.
JOHNSON 10,
RIVERSIDE 1
Johnson beat Riverside at home behind the arm of Peyton Lavergne, who scattered three hits and fanned 11 in six innings of work. Zack Fine closed out the game striking ut one in one inning.
At the plate, Fine had a huge game with three hits and 3 RBI. Josh Mascrier also had 2 RBIs for the Knights (6-7).
CHESTATEE 2-11,
HABERSHAM CENTRAL 7-1
The two teams split a doubleheader in Mt Airy.
In the first game, Habersham used a 5-run sixth inning to break a 2-2 tie, highlighted by a two-run double from Logan Hare. Trevor Stevens got the win in relief for the Raiders.
In Game 2, the War Eagles exploded for 11 runs in the final two innings to rally for the win on the road.
Habersham led 1-0 after the fourth but Chestatee scored four in the sixth and seven in the seventh. Clay Tyas had three hits and two RBI to lead the Chestatee offense. Phillip Lemay and Benson Miller each had a pair of RBI as well for the War Eagles.
ATHENS CHRISTIAN 8,
LAKEVIEW ACADEMY 4
The Lions suffered just their second loss of the season as the Eagles scored four runs in the fifth to break a 4-4 tie en route to the win.
Lakeview led 2-0 after the opening frame but fell behind 4-2 in the second as Athens Christian roughed up starter Holden Cooper. Lakeview rallied to tie the game in the top of the fifth but reliever Tanner Allen gave up four runs on six hits and four walks in 2 2/3 innings.
Skyler Thellman had two hits and an RBI to lead the Lakeview offense. Sam Stewart and Jordan Thomas each had a hit and an RBI, and Cooper and Andrew Estes had one hit each for the Lions.
GILMER 3,
UNION COUNTY 2
Union County dropped its third straight game as a late rally fell short.
The teams were tied at 1 after the second inning but Gilmer scored twice in the fifth to take the final lead.
The Panthers got a run back in the sixth but could not get the equalizer.
Carter Wright had a hit and RBI for Union County (4-8) and JJ Littles also drove in a run. Littles, however, took the loss on the mound giving up two runs on two hits and three walks in one inning in relief.
