North Oconee defends last year’s championship; downs LaGrange in decisive Game 3

Defending champion North Oconee outlasted LaGrange 4-1 in the decisive Game 3 at Coolray Field in Gwinnett County to capture the program’s second state championship.

The Titans scored three runs in the first inning and added another in the top of the sixth inning to secure the victory. Senior Grayson Godbee singled to right field in the top of the first inning to score Jack Fabris on the throwing error by the short stop. Kyle Jones scored Godbee on a right-field single and KJ Moon scored Jones on a single to left field.

LaGrange got on the board in the bottom of the third inning when Gryson Cockrell scored on a wild pitch. Fabris scored sophomore Landon Roldan with a double down the right field line in the top of the sixth inning for North Oconee.

Moon was 2-for-3 with an RBI, Roldan was 2-for-4, Fabris and Jones were each 1-for-3 with an RBI.

In the first two games, North Oconee opened with an 11-1 victory and LaGrange outlasted the Titans 6-5 in a 10-inning marathon game to force the deciding Game 3.

In Game 2, Cole Garner singled to the shortstop in the bottom of the 10^th inning to score senior outfielder Seth Stargell and secure the victory. North Oconee scored 3 runs in the top of the first inning and allowed LaGrange one run in the bottom of the inning. The Grangers were steady, plating runs in the bottom of the second and third innings while keeping North Oconee scoreless, tying the game at three runs each. LaGrange took a 2-run lead in the bottom of the fourth inning before allowing North Oconee a run in the top of the fifth and sixth innings.

In the opening game, North Oconee run-ruled LaGrange and ended the game after scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Pitcher KJ Moon got the win, pitching all six innings and allowing five hits and one run with three strikeouts. The Titans led 4-0 after playing a run in the bottom of the second inning and three runs in the bottom of the third.

North Oconee extended its lead to 5-0 with one run in the bottom of the fourth inning before giving up one run to LaGrange in the top of the fifth inning. The Titans extended the lead with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to maintain control of the game in all facets. Senior Cale Stricklin was 3-for-3 with an RBI to lead North Oconee and Moon went 2-for-3 with four RBIs, Ethan Jarvis was 2-for-3 with three RBIs.