Indians Drop 2nd Straight to Titans

North Oconee got timely hits and stranded seven Stephens County base runners to pick up a key Region-8 AAAA win 7-4 over the Indians Wednesday night in Toccoa.

The Indians took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st when Austin Page reached on an error, Dawson Sorrells singled, and Chaz Bridges ground ball scored Page.

North Oconee came back with 4 runs in the 2nd inning on 4 hits. Stephens County trailed 4-1 until the 4th inning when they scored three runs on just one hit. Zach Boyd reached on an error, Bryson Fowler walked, and Dawson Dean was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Kole Rogers then walked to score Boyd, and Page delivered a big two-out two-run single to tie the game at four.

North Oconee regained the lead in the top of the 5th inning and then added two more runs in the top of the 7th inning. The Indians threatened in the final frame with runners on 2nd and third with one out, but a Fowler line drive was snagged by North Oconee pitcher Will Pearson who doubled up the runner at third to end the game.

Pearson pitched just over three innings of relief to get the win on the mound. Davis Swenson pitched 6 innings allowing 5 runs on 6 hits and striking out five, but took the loss for the Indians to fall to 5-3 on the year.

Stephens County is now 5-6 in Region-8 play and 19-7 overall. North Oconee improves to 7-4 in the region and 16-7-1 overall.

Elsewhere in Region-8 play Jefferson defeated St. Pius 8-6, and Madison County downed Oconee County 7-3.

The top four teams in the region will advance to the state playoffs.The current standings with four games left in the regular season are as follows: Jefferson 9-2, North Oconee 7-4, Madison County 6-5, Stephens County 5-6, St. Pius 5-6, and Oconee County 1-10.

Stephens County will try and salvage the final game of the series with North Oconee Friday night in Bogart. Airtime is set for 5:45 P.M. with first pitch at 5:55 P.M. on WNEG.