GAINESVILLE, Ga. — North Hall’s magic number to clinch a spot in the Region 8-4A play-in series dropped to just one after the Trojans beat East Hall 8-5 on Monday at East Hall Park.
The Trojans' (15-9, 5-5 Region 8-4A North) win, combined with Chestatee’s (11-12, 4-6 Region 8-4A North) 5-0 loss to Cherokee Bluff, put the War Eagles on the brink of elimination.
North Hall scored in all but one inning, rolling out to a 7-0 lead before the Vikings (4-17, 0-10 Region 8-4A North) scored four times in the sixth to cut into the lead. Haden Brock, Caleb Pruitt, and Josh Niles all drove in runs in the frame.
But Luke Sanders, who went five innings in relief, allowing just three earned runs and striking out six, held on in the seventh despite East Hall getting the tying run to the on-deck circle.
Jon Jon Read, Charlie Wright, Korbyn Sosebee, and Kenny Foudy all had a hit and an RBI for the Trojans.
Drew Campbell took the loss for East Hall, giving up five runs, just three earned, on three hits and three walks in four innings.
CHEROKEE BLUFF 5,
CHESTATEE 0
Tucker Holton and Jack Sparks tossed a four-hit shutout to lead the No. 1-ranked Bears to a Region 8-4A North win on the road.
The loss for the War Eagles moved them one loss or one North Hall win from being eliminated in the playoff race.
It was a tight game early until Cherokee Bluff (23-1, 9-1 Region 8-4A North) scored two runs on a wild pitch and a dropped third strike with two outs in the third. The Bears added two more in the fifth on an RBI single from Caleb Miele, an RBI double from Bryce England, and one in the sixth on a Chestatee error.
Holton got the win going 6 2/3 innings scattering all four hits and fanning eight. Sparks got the final out on a strikeout to end the game.
Jake Hitchcock took the loss for Chestatee (11-12, 4-6 Region 8-4A North), surrendering six runs on seven hits in six innings. He fanned six. Wesley Gossett pitched a scoreless seventh for the War Eagles.
Miele and Kaden Thompson each had two hits, with Ty Corbin also knocking in a run.
Dylan Thompson had two for Chestatee’s four hits.
BUFORD 3,
COLLINS HILL 0
The Wolves (13-12, 8-4 Region 8-7A) moved into a tie for first place after taking a solid road win on Monday.
Nate Taylor fanned 13 and scattered five hits in a complete-game shutout on the mound for Buford.
Taylor got all he would need in the third when Buford scored a pair of runs on a big Eagles (14-12, 6-5 Region 8-7A) error. The Wolves added a run in the fifth on an Ayden Lockett RBI double.
Brandon Taliaferro, Madden Young, Lockett, Taylor, and Cannon Goldin all had hits for Buford.
The two teams will resume their three-game series on Wednesday at Gerald McQuaig Field.
JACKSON COUNTY 7,
GAINESVILLE 1
The Panthers used a six-run fifth to blow open a close game en route to a huge Region 8-6A win at Ivey-Watson Field.
The win put Jackson County (12-14, 9-5 Region 8-6A) into second place all alone in the region standings. The loss knocked Gainesville (11-13, 5-9 Region 8-6A) to 3 1/2 games out of fourth place with just four games left.
The game was tied at 1 when the Panthers got RBI hits from Spencer Muffuletto, Drew Mathews, Karson Wheeler, and Brice Branton in the big sixth inning.
That was more than enough for Jack Venable, who got the win for Jackson County. Venable surrendered one run on three hits over five innings, striking out six.
HABERSHAM CENTRAL 7,
SHILOH 0
The Raiders stayed within two games of fourth place in Region 8-6A with a road win on Monday.
Hunter Tatum tossed a four-hit shutout, striking out nine and walking one.
Habersham Central (13-12, 7-8 Region 8-6A) got a pair of big hits to extend the lead twice. Tatum had a two-run single in the fourth, and Cody Thomas added a two-run single in the seventh for insurance.
Tatum and Blandon Grizzle each had two hits for Habersham Central.
DAWSON COUNTY 12,
EAST FORSYTH 7
The Tigers lost an early six-run lead and then scored six runs in the seventh to rally for the non-region win on the road.
Dawson County scored five times in the second, aided by a pair of East Forsyth errors, to push their lead to 6-0. But the Broncos began to chip away.
East Forsyth scored once in the second and four in the fourth on a pair of walks and a wild pitch to pull within 6-5. The Broncos took the lead in the sixth on an RBI single by Bradlee Hamby.
In the big sixth inning for the Tigers, they tied the game at 7 on an error and took the lead on a Jacson Rickett single. Davis Glass added a two-run single as well.
The win for Dawson County (13-11) snapped a four-game losing streak.
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCOREBOARD, Monday, April 10
Buford 3, Collins Hill 0*
Cherokee Bluff 5, Chestatee 0*
Dawson County 12, East Forsyth 7
Habersham Central 7, Shiloh 0*
Harrison 6, North Forsyth 2
Jackson County 7, Gainesville 1*
Jefferson 7, Eastside 6 (8 inn)*
North Hall 8, East Hall 5*
(* -- denotes region contest)
