Prep Baseball Report

GHSA Playoffs: Trojans March to the Final Four of 3A Tournament


PBR Georgia Staff
PBR Georgia

Gainesville, GA - The top-ranked team in 3A, North Hall, hosted No. 3 Pierce County in a packed crowd at Cottrell Field. North Hall would advance to the Final Four with a sweep on the day. The Trojans would win Game One, 6-2 and Game Two, 7-1.

Game One

North Hall starting pitcher, Jaret Bales, who would throw a complete game for the Trojans, started the game out strong, throwing a scoreless top of the first inning. In the bottom of the inning, the first pitch the Trojans would see, would be a line drive double by Tate Brooks (C, 2022). After a SAC bunt from Jay Johnson (2021), 2022 OF Bradford Puryear (2022) would hit an opposite-field single for the first run of the game.

Tate Brooks drives the first pitch of the game for a double. ‘22 Bradford Puryear brings in the first run of the game with a single for North Hall.

 

Pierce County would hold off the Trojans for the next four innings as SP, Hoke Skipper (2022), would keep the Trojan bats at ease. Skipper’s fastball would start the outing at 84-87 and would settle to 83-85. Skipper would collect five strikeouts over five innings pitched.

In the second inning, Pierce County would threaten after a Trojan’s error and a single from J. Reid Phillps (2021). Bales would pick up a big strikeout and a fly out to keep Pierce County off the board.

Bales would make a difference at the plate, helping himself out, with an RBI SAC fly in the fifth inning. This would extend the lead to two for North Hall.

Cooper Helton (2022), who would have two hits in the game, added an insurance run on an RBI single for North Hall, followed by a 2 RBI double from Luke Erickson (2022).


North Hall would score five runs in the fifth inning, and that would be more than enough to take the first game. They would win by a score of 6-2.

Game Two

North Hall would put the first run up in the top of the first inning. Tate Brooks would reach on an error to start the game, and would steal second and third base. Jace Bowen (2022) would bring Brooks in on an RBI SAC fly to give the Trojans a 1-0 start.

After a scoreless first frame, Pierce County would tie the game with a nice piece of hitting by J. Reid Phillips. He lined an RBI single to RF to tie the game at one run in the second inning.

The third inning would see the Trojans regain the lead, and would not look back. They would score three runs in the inning and would be enough for Eli Reece (2022) on the mound.

Reece threw a complete game, allowing one run, and striking out eight hitters.

North Hall advanced by a score of 7-1. They pick up in the next round at Ringgold on Saturday.

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