First place battles and teams looking to stay in the playoff race will highlight key matchups around the northeast Georgia area on Tuesday.
In all, 12 games, all in region play, involving 16 area teams are set for Tuesday.
Regions 8-4A, 8-3A, 6-3A, and 8-A Division 1 all will have crucial showdowns, but the biggest one will have Jefferson traveling to Oconee County with both teams looking to stay unbeaten in Region 8-3A.
The Dragons (8-8, 3-0 Region 8-3A) have three straight after a sweep of West Hall last week. The Class 3A fourth-ranked Warriors (12-3, 3-0 Region 8-3A) have won six straight, including a sweep of East Hall last week, and both are tied with Cherokee Bluff (7-8, 3-0 Region 8-3A) atop the standings.
In other series in Region 8-3A, The Bears (7-8, 3-0 Region 8-3A) open a series at East Hall (6-9, 0-3 Region 8-3A) and West Hall (4-11, 0-3 Region 8-3A) takes on Monroe Area (4-8, 0-3 Region 8-3A) at Spartans Field trying to get back in the playoff race.
Region 6-3A is much the same, with second-ranked North Hall (9-4, 5-1 Region 6-3A) and Dawson County (10-5, 5-1 Region 6-3A) tied for the lead. The Trojans open a three-game series with White County (6-8, 1-5 Region 6-3A) in Cleveland while the Tigers open a series at home against Chestatee (4-11, 3-3 Region 6-3A).
Johnson (2-13, 0-6 Region 6-3A) heads to GAC (6-6, 3-3 Region 6-3A) looking to snap a 12-game losing streak. But the biggest series in 6-3A this week has Lumpkin County (9-5, 3-3 Region 6-3A) heading to No. 3 Pickens (12-3, 4-2 Region 6-3A).
In Region 8-4A, Flowery Branch (7-6, 2-1 Region 8-4A) sits in third place behind fifth-ranked North Oconee (12-3, 3-0 Region 8-4A) and Walnut Grove (11-4, 3-0 Region 8-4A) after taking 2-of-3 games from East Forsyth last week. The Falcons (7-6, 2-1 Region 8-4A) travel to Madison County (2-13, 0-3 Region 8-4A) looking to move up with North Oconee and Walnut Grove duking it out this week.
East Forsyth (10-6, 1-2 Region 8-4A) takes on Eastside (4-11, 0-3 Region 8-4A) also looking to make a move up the standings.
In Region 8-A D1, sixth-ranked Banks County (12-3, 6-0 Region 8-A D1) and Elbert County (11-4, 6-0 Region 8-A D1) are tied for first place heading into the week. The Leopards open a series with BASA (7-7, 2-4 Region 8-A D1) while the Blue Devils take on third place Providence Christian (9-5, 5-1 Region 8-A D1) in a huge series.
(See below for the full schedule of Tuesday's games.)
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCHEDULE FOR TUESDAY, March 18
(First pitch at 5:55 unless otherwise noted)
BASA at Banks County, 5:30 p.m.*
Cherokee Bluff at East Hall*
Chestatee at Dawson County*
Eastside at East Forsyth*
Flowery Branch at Madison County*
Jefferson at Oconee County*
Johnson at GAC*
Lumpkin County at Pickens*
Monroe Area at West Hall*
North Hall at White County*
Rabun County at Commerce*
Washington-Wilkes at Towns County, 5 p.m.*
(* -- denotes region contest)
