Buford baseball is nearing the end of the regular season. While the month of March delivered some ups-and-downs, the Wolves remain dominant in region 8-7A play.
Buford (15-7, 9-0 8-7A) had its fair share of strong offensive performances and dominant pitching through the recent stretch.
March 11 – Buford 2, Mountain View 1
The Wolves won their first of nine region 8-7A games with a narrow win over Mountain View in a pitchers’ duel. Senior Nate Taylor, a Georgia pledge headed to play for first-year head coach Wes Johnson, had a do-it-all game. Along with six innings pitched and nine strikeouts for the Buford ace, Taylor also notched two hits and an RBI. Junior Cannon Goldin also added a double with a run scored. Mountain View’s lone run came off of Taylor in the sixth inning after two hits and a balk.
March 12 – Buford 11, Mountain View 5
Junior pitcher Braden Burton allowed a leadoff home run to Mountain View in the second game of the series, forcing Buford to stage a comeback victory. Buford answered the call. The rally started in the third inning after senior Ethan Murray, a Georgia Tech commitment, was intentionally walked. The following batter, sophomore Cam Wood responded with a two-RBI single to trim the deficit. Buford then scored two additional runs in the inning to take a lead that would stick.
Buford added on with six walks and two hits in the sixth innings. Burton finished with six strikeouts and one of his three runs were earned.
March 15 – Buford 9, Mountain View 2
The Wolves flew past Mountain View to sweep the series. Murray slammed a 3-run home run in the third inning after the Bears took a brief lead. Yet again, Murray received an intentional walk in the following inning. Wood, for one of three RBIs in the contest, drove in junior Cannon Goldin on a line drive.
Senior Damian Brown made his first start for Buford and allowed two runs while punching out nine batters.
March 18 – Buford 9, Mill Creek 1
Buford took sole possession of the region lead, which it has yet to relinquish, in a win over Mill Creek. Taylor struck out 13 batters in 6 ⅔ innings of work, and also added three hits with an RBI double.
March 20 – Buford 3, Mill Creek 0
Burton pitched six scoreless innings, scattering five hits and striking out five. Brown relieved Burton in the seventh inning to record the save.
March 21 – Buford 8, Mill Creek 0
Buford posted its second-consecutive shutout, this time on the road at Mill Creek behind sophomore Kyle Krause. Murray hit a two-run home run, and Buford only continued to pile on. Seven of the team’s nine runs came with two outs.
Murray, Taylor, senior Blake Russell and senior Brayden Bickers combined for nine hits.
March 25 – Buford 19, Central Gwinnett 0
Another game, another shutout for the Wolves as they finished off a string of unhittable pitching with a trouncing of Central Gwinnett for another win in region 8-7A. Senior Chase Scarborough hit his first varsity home run with a three-run shot. Taylor struck out seven batters in three innings.
March 27 – Buford 16, Central Gwinnett 1
Buford recorded its ninth region victory with another trampling of the Black Knights. Freshman Graham Young recorded his first-ever high school hit with a 2-RBI line drive in the fourth inning. Burton struck out nine batters in four innings.
April 1 (game one) – Grayson 5, Buford 4
Buford trailed by three runs in the sixth inning, but staged a two-out rally to draw within one run. It could not pull any closer.
Taylor allowed five runs (four earned) in six innings while conceding 10 hits and striking out six. Wood, Taylor and senior Madden Young had two hits apiece. Young recorded two RBI.
April 1 (game two) – Grayson 5, Buford 3
Taylor hit a two-run home run, his first of the season, to give Buford a two-run lead. Grayson, however, scored four runs in the sixth inning to secure the victory.
April 3 – Marist 3, Buford 1
Buford held a tie in the road contest through 4 ½ innings, but Marist scored three runs in the fifth inning to secure the victory.
Young led the Wolves with two hits while Burton allowed six hits and three runs.
Despite finishing off its recent stretch with a three-game losing streak at the hands of Grayson and Marist, Buford finishes regular season play with six of its last seven games in region play against Collins Hill and Dacula.
