BUFORD, Ga. — Lio Garcia had a day at the plate leading Buford past Chapel Hill, 12-0, and into the second round of the Class 6A playoffs on Thursday at Gerald McQuaig Field.
Garcia was 3-for-3 at the plate, including a triple and double in the first inning and a home run in the third.
Buford jumped to an early lead, plating seven runs in the first inning. Ryan Johansen, Vance Bock and Dexter McCleon Jr. each drew bases-loaded walks, bringing in a run apiece. Mason Litt followed with a three-run triple, and Garcia added an RBI triple for a 7-0 lead.
The Wolves tacked on another run in the second, courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Johansen that extended the lead to 8-0.
In the top of the third, Buford added three more runs. Payton Walker grounded out to bring in one, and Garcia capped off his big day with a two-run homer to left.
Luke Hopper earned the win for Buford, tossing three scoreless innings while allowing just two hits, striking out four, and walking two. Ryland Perry and Carson Reeves pitched in relief for the Wolves, helping preserve the shutout win.
Offensively, Litt and Garcia drove in three runs apiece.
Buford awaits the winner of Game 3 of the North Paulding-Tift County series. They'll be at home against them on Wednesday.
IRWIN COUNTY 13, 6,
TOWNS COUNTY 0, 5
After Mother Nature delayed the best-of-three series less than 24 hours, Irwin County completed the sweep of Towns County on Thursday in the first round of the Class A Division 2 playoffs.
Towns County opened Game 2 with a 1-0 lead, but Irwin County answered in the bottom of the first with a three-run outing.
But Towns County didn't hang it up, pushing four runs home in the third inning, thanks to Morgan Walker and Eli McNabb, both of whom drove in two runs, to give Towns County a 5-3 lead.
However, Irwin answered with one run in the third, then landed the final blow in the bottom of the sixth inning. Tripp Poole's RBI single scored the go-ahead run.
Irwin County sat the Towns down in order to seal the win in the seventh.
In Game 1, Irwin County (23-6) grabbed the early lead, 1-0, in the first inning when Zack Young walked with bases loaded, sending the run home.
But it was the second inning when Irwin County flexed, scoring four runs in the inning that started when a pitch struck Luke Snyder and drove in a run. This was followed by a Tripp Poole single that scored a run and a Young two-RBI single to push the lead to 5-0.
Irwin County added five more runs in the third inning and three in the fifth to force the run-rule and get the Game 1 win.
Irwin County's Jaylen Martin recorded the shutout win, allowing two hits and striking out nine in five innings.
Morgan Walker led Towns County (17-16) with two hits.
PREP BASEBALL 1st ROUND PLAYOFF SCHEDULE, Thursday, April 24
(All series are best-of-3 games at site of higher-seeded team)
Class 6A
Buford 12, Chapel Hill 0 (Buford advances to 2nd round)
Class 5A
Habersham Central (R7, S3) at Lee County (R2, S2), 4:30 p.m.
Class 4A
Jones County (R2, S3) at Flowery Branch (R8, S2), 4 p.m.
(Game 3, if necessary, to follow 30 minutes after)
Class A D2
Irwin County 13, 6, Towns County 0, 5
