A rough start to a crucial region game made the Flowery Branch baseball’s team playoff hopes a little less comfortable. The Falcons gave up seven runs in the first three innings against Heritage on Tuesday at Hog Mountain Sports Complex, eventually falling 9-2 to the surging Patriots.The loss drops Flowery Branch (10-7, 5-3 Region 8-AAAAA) down the region standings to half a game behind fourth-place Winder-Barrow. Meanwhile, Heritage (13-6, 7-3), which completed the season sweep over the Falcons, moves into the region’s top three alongside Gainesville and Loganville.