LaGRANGE, Ga. — Buford split a pair of games to open the LaGrange Invitational tournament on Thursday at Calloway High School.
The tournament runs through Saturday.
In the first game, Central Phenix City (Ala.) knocked off Buford 5-2 while the Wolves responded with a 5-1 win over Gadsden (Ala.) in the nightcap.
In the opening game, the Buford offense stranded the tying runs on base in the seventh and several errors led to four unearned runs.
Nate Taylor drove in both runs in the seventh but also was the tough-luck loser on the mound.
In the second game, Buford scored three runs in the fifth, getting RBI from Madden Young, who would later score for a 3-1 lead. The Wolves got two big insurance runs in the sixth inning when Young stroked a two-out bases loaded single up the middle to make it 5-1.
The Wolves' bullpen was very effective getting scoreless innings from Luke Hopper, Braden Burton, and Carson Reeves. Hopper got the win pitching two innings allowing no runs and no hits. Burton and Reeves both struck out three in their three innings combined.
Buford (4-2) will be back in action at the LaGrange Invitational on Saturday, taking on host Lagrange at 10 a.m.
EAST FORSYTH 11,
SECKINGER 4
The Broncos used a six-run 7th inning to get a Region 8-4A road win on Thursday.
East Forsyth led by one run going into the final inning, scoring runs on a single, double, walk and a wild pitch.
O McGee drove in two runs, and Will Moffit recorded an RBI in the 7th. McGee went on to score in the inning off a wild pitch.
McGee was 2-for-5 at the plate with three RBIs, Moffit and W Barden were 2-for-4.
Trey Farr earned the win on the mound, going 5 2/3 innings while giving up four runs on six hits and striking out 11.
NORTH OCONEE 12,
CHESTATEE 2
The fourth-ranked Titans scored 10 runs through the first four innings and added two in the sixth to run rule Chestatee in Sardis on Thursday.
After falling behind 2-1 in the first inning, North Oconee had a six-run second inning to take control, 7-2.
Colton Wilbanks, Dylan Thompson and Jake Hitchcock had one hit each.
WALNUT GROVE 2,
NORTH HALL 1
Walnut Grove scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning and held on to hand North Hall its first loss of the season in the Class 4A top-10 battle at home on Thursday.
Drew Baker, who singled to start the bottom of the fifth inning, scored the go-ahead run off an error on the next at-bat.
In a defensive battle, Thomas Burke turned in a gem of a performance on the hill, going six innings while allowing one run on three hits and striking out 15.
North Hall's Kaleb Sexton also had a solid outing, allowing no earned runs, six hits, one walk and seven Ks.
Ajay Jones, Mills Lothridge and Charlie Wright had one hit each for the Trojans.
NORTH FORSYTH 10,
DRUID HILLS 0
Ty Womack drove in four runs on three hits to lead North Forsyth past Druid Hills at home on Thursday.
Womack scored runs in the first, fifth and sixth innings.
The Raiders took a 5-0 lead after the first inning, two more in the fifth and three in the sixth.
Ellis Alldredge was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Seth Dixon was 1-for-2 with two RBIs.
FORSYTH CENTRAL 4,
GAINESVILLE 3
Forsyth Central scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning and held on to win 4-3 on Thursday.
The Red Elephants held on to a 3-1 lead until the Central's Alex Hernadez smashed a three-run home run over the centerfield wall to push the Bulldogs to the lead.
Gainesville's Baxter Wright signed in the fifth inning to break the 1-1 tie, and Smith McGarvey's sacrifice fly added one more run in the fifth for a 3-1 lead.
Branson Crawford was 2-for-4 with one RBI to lead Gainesville at the plate. Wright was 1-for-3.
FELLOWSHIP CHRISTIAN 6,
FLOWERY BRANCH 4
The Falcons led 4-0 going into the 7th inning at home on Thursday but couldn't hold on in the loss to Fellowship Christian.
The Paladins scored six runs on three hits to take the lead and the win.
Kyle Adamec had a good outing for the Falcons, allowing just one hit over six innings while fanning 10 Paladins.
Anthony Almeroth and Antonio De La Torre recorded one RBI, and Adamec, Folkers, Javy Ojeda and De La Toree had one hit each.
