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DEL.ICIO.USGeorgia High School Baseball Playoffs: May 14, 2008, second-round games
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Step up to the plate: Hardball is the place to talk high school baseball on ajc.com. We’ll be posting scores as they become available, but if you’ve got the scoop, please feel free to post scores, recaps and highlights. Thanks.
Complete list: Second-round pairings for all classes
Brackets: AAAAA • AAAA • AAA • AA • A
Class AAAAA
It’s safe to say Johnny Knight is having a good time at the plate these days. The Mill Creek center fielder hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the sixth inning of Game 2, his second long ball of the day, to lead the Hawks to a 7-5 victory over Walton and a split of their Class AAAAA second-round doubleheader.
The teams will meet in the rubber game today at Mill Creek at 5 p.m.
With the score tied and one out, Knight hit losing pitcher Alex Sherrod’s 0-1 fastball over the right-center field wall for his 11th home run of the season and ninth in the past two weeks.
“At one point late [in the season, Knight] had two home runs, and all of a sudden he’s just gone nuts,” Mill Creek coach Doug Jones said.
The pitch that resulted in a home run failed to fool Knight.
“I’m thinking curve,” he said. “I guessed they tried to sneak a fastball by.”
Walton won the opener 5-2 as Mark Pope struck out 10.
- Kurt Aschermann Jr.
More Class AAAAA
Brookwood 9-0, Norcross 0-1: Needing a gritty effort after a Game 1 shellacking, Norcross pitcher Taylor Rakes delivered Wednesday at Brookwood.
Against the vaunted Broncos (27-3), Rakes spun a three-hit gem in a 1-0 Norcross victory that forced a decisive Game 3 today.
After Brookwood rolled to a 9-0 win in Game 1, the prospects for Norcross (21-8) looked bleak. But Rakes - with a cunning mixture of power pitches and off-speed stuff - shut out USA Today No. 1 Brookwood for the first time all season. - Curtis Bunn
Camden County 4-4, Mundy’s Mill 2-1: Nick Schuepach struck out 10 in the second game, helping the Wildcats complete the second-round sweep.
Class AAAA
Rome 3-1, Loganville 2-4: Loganville rebounded for a split after a first game in which Rome’s Jake Williams scored the game-winning run on an error. Rome led the first game 2-0 with one out to go when Loganville’s Blake McCullers tied it with a two-run homer.
Class AA
Wesleyan 10-3, Callaway 0-1: With dominant pitching and towering home runs, Wesleyan swept Callaway on Wednesday to reach the Class AA quarterfinals.
The Wolves won the opener 10-0 in six innings as ace Grayson Garvin struck out 15 and allowed two hits. Of his 98 pitches, 71 were strikes. Shortstop Connor Winn hit a majestic 400-foot, three-run homer to left-center.
Wesleyan won the nightcap 3-1, passing its first real postseason test.
With the game tied 1-1 in the sixth, right fielder Kevin Ruiz belted a two-run homer to center. Starter Devin Stanton pitched brilliantly until the seventh, when he walked two.
Reliever Drew Fithian was summoned to get the final two outs. After falling behind 3-0, he worked the count full, then induced a series-ending double play started by third baseman James Ramsey.
- Larry Hartstein
Lovett 11-13, Calhoun 10-3: Gary O’Meara hit a three-run homer in the opening-game victory, and the Lions rode the momentum to a sweep.
Holy Innocents’ 10-7, Adairsville 0-5: With Andrew McGonnigle’s three-run homer supporting him, Mark Grimm shut out the Tigers in the first game, and the Golden Bears swept into the quarterfinals with the second-game win.
Class A
Eagle’s Landing Christian 11-2, Jefferson 5-9: Jake Davies struck out 14 to lead the Chargers in the first game. Jefferson’s Jed Gurley went 3-for-4 with two homers in the loss.
Brookstone 6-2, Calvary Day 3-1:Jake Howard hit a walk-off home run in the eighth inning, ending the series with a sweep.
Second-round scores: May 14, 2008
Class AAAAA
Brookwood 9-0, Norcross 0-1 (Game 3, 6 p.m. today at Bkwd.)
Camden 4-4, Mundy’s Mill 3-1
East Coweta 9-10, Coffee Co. 1-2
Newnan 5-2, Warner Robins 3-12 (Game 3: 5 p.m. today at WR)
North Cobb 4-1, Lassiter 2-8 (Game 3: 6 p.m. today at Lass.)
South Forsyth 5-1, Kell 2-3 (Game 3: 5 p.m. today at Kell)
Valdosta 7-6, Luella 5-4
Walton 5-5, Mill Creek 2-7 (Game 3: 5 p.m. today at Mill)
Class AAAA
Greenbrier 15-10, Jones Co. 0-3
Griffin 4-14, Statesboro 2-2
Heritage 6-6, Dalton 5-2
Lee Co. 10-5, Starr’s Mill 9-1
Rome 3-1, Loganville 2-4 (Game 3: 5 p.m. today at Rome)
Salem 5-2, East Paulding 4-8 (Game 3: 5 p.m. today at E.Paul.)
Sequoyah 8-2, Marist 3-0
Woodward Acad. 6-14, Thomas Co. Central 3-8
Class AAA
Carrollton 1-6, Dunwoody 7-5 (Game 3: 5:55 p.m. today at Dunw.)
Cartersville 5-9, Blessed Trinity 1-1
Columbus 13-10, Crisp Co. 0-1
Flowery Branch 4-7, Stephens Co. 1-8 (Game 3: 5:30 p.m. today at FB)
Oconee Co. 3-11, Westminster 2-5
Shaw 12-6, Burke Co. 2-4
South Effingham 9-10, Henry Co. 3-0
Troup 7-17, Harlem 3-7
Class AA
Cook 7-10, Savannah Chr. 2-0
Holy Innocents’ 10-7, Adairsville 0-5
Lovett 11-13, Calhoun 10-3
North Oconee 5-7, Armuchee 3-3
Pierce Co. 6-10, Fitzgerald 5-0
Screven Co. 11-10, Appling Co. 7-5
Wesleyan 10-3, Callaway 0-1
Westside-Augusta 10-15, Bleckley Co. 0-0
Class A
Aquinas 9-3, Gordon Lee 3-11 (Game 3: today at Aqui.)
Brookstone 6-2, Calvary Day 3-1
ELCA 11-2, Jefferson 5-9 (Game 3: 5 p.m. today at Jeff.)
Landmark Chr. 6-15, Athens Chr. 3-1
Pacelli 6-15, Baconton 0-0
Providence Chr. 7-4, Bremen 6-6 (Game 3: 5 p.m. today at Brem.)
Schley Co. 17-1, Lanier Co. 4-2 (Game 3: noon today at LanCo.)
Telfair Co. 14-11, Seminole Co. 1-1
Step up to the plate: Hardball is the place to talk high school baseball on ajc.com. We’ll be posting scores as they become available, but if you’ve got the scoop, please feel free to post scores, recaps and highlights. Thanks.
Permalink | Comments (16) | Post your comment | Categories: Hardball
Comments
By Kurt Aschermann Jr.
May 15, 2008 1:39 PM | Link to this
I’ll try to keep you updated as cancellations and Friday game times become available.
Providence Christian at Bremen: Re-scheduled for 5:00 Friday.
By Kurt Aschermann Jr.
May 15, 2008 2:01 PM | Link to this
Walton at Mill Creek: Re-scheduled for Friday at 5:30.
By Kurt Aschermann Jr.
May 15, 2008 2:04 PM | Link to this
Salem - East Paulding
going Friday at 6:00
By hammer
May 15, 2008 2:15 PM | Link to this
what about brookwood/norcross game.
By Kurt Aschermann Jr.
May 15, 2008 2:16 PM | Link to this
Looks like we might go 0-for-12 today….
PPD: Loganville at Salem - Friday 5:00 Norcross at Brookwood - Friday 7:00 Stephens County at Flowery Branch - Friday 5:30
More to come I’m sure, it’s been raining all day.
By Kurt Aschermann Jr.
May 15, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this
Final in Class A: Lanier County 21, Schley County 5 in 3 innings. Lanier travels to Landmark, Tuesday with a spot in Class A semis up for grabs.
More cancellations:
ELCA - Jefferson, going Friday at 2:00
By Derrick Mahone
May 15, 2008 3:47 PM | Link to this
The Dunwoody vs. Carrollton game has been postponed. They are set to play at 1:30 on Saturday, May 17 at Dunwoody.
By Kurt Aschermann Jr.
May 15, 2008 4:31 PM | Link to this
Both So. Forsyth-Kell and Lassiter-No. Cobb have been moved to Friday, 6:00.
By Levi
May 15, 2008 8:02 PM | Link to this
Hey Kurt, what’s your thoughts on some of these quarterfinal matchups?
By Kurt Aschermann Jr.
May 15, 2008 8:46 PM | Link to this
Levi
new blog coming Monday, we’ll look back on the 2nd round and look ahead to the quarters.
Class AAAAA update (8:23 p.m.) -
wild game down in Warner Robins. The Demons, trailing 6-5, scores 7 runs with two outs in the top of the seventh (four of the runs on 2, two-run HRs) to go up 12-6.
Newnan doesn’t quit, scoring 7 of its own in the bottom of the seventh: Kevin Dunn’s grand slam ties it at 12-12 and Colson McMichael delivers a run-scoring double to send Newnan to the elite 8 and a match up with Friday’s North Cobb-Lassiter winner. Wow.
By Levi
May 16, 2008 12:33 AM | Link to this
I forgot the final score but Gordon Lee pulled a big upset over Aquinas this afternoon
By Kurt Aschermann Jr.
May 16, 2008 12:43 AM | Link to this
Levi -
Gordon Lee won game three, 8-6.
GL at Brookstone in next week’s quarters; probably not too many predicted that match up.
who do you like?
By Mike
May 16, 2008 1:12 AM | Link to this
I like Cook in AA. They impressed me vs Savannah Christian. Who would have thought that bunch would have been shut out, and a 10-0 shutout on top of that in five innings. Cook’s 1-2 punch of Kaleb Cowart and DJ Johnson just might beat Holy Innocents…any thoughts?
By Neal
May 16, 2008 6:23 AM | Link to this
Newnan finds a way to it it done in the seventh…again! Both teams showed a lot of fight and character. Somebody forgot to tell the field broadcaster that the fat lady hadn’t sang yet during the top of the seventh.
By basesloaded
May 16, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this
Kurt, You hear so much smack from people about how good this player is or that player is. Out of the games you have seen in person, who really throws that 90 MPH fastball? Who can really knock the ugly out of a homerun? Who are some of the best all around players you have seen so far this year?
By Kurt Aschermann Jr.
May 16, 2008 11:04 AM | Link to this
basesloaded
I’ll give you two of the best all-around players I’ve seen the past 2 seasons:
One of the best pitcher’s I’ve seen this year is Walton’s Mark Pope. Low 80s - to mid 90s fastball with a wicked slider and a real good curve ball. Great bat, too; committed to Tech.
Good chance to see him hit and maybe throw an inning or two, tonight at Mill Creek (5:30 p.m.)
I haven’t gotten a chance to see Greenbrier’s Nolan Belcher pitch this year, but he is one of the best two-way players in the state. Great stuff on the mound with a nearly unhittable curveball and a great stick at the plate. Headed to South Carolina or MLB Draft…we’ll see.
Landmark Christian’s Tanner Bryant is another great all-around player. He’s a standout on the football field as well, but I think Bryant’s future is on the diamond. Good stuff on the mound; great bat; fields his position well.
Best long ball threat I’ve seen so far in the playoffs is Brandon Miller at Woodward Academy; catcher headed to Georgia Tech. In first round vs. Dutchtown, hit HR to win game 1 that just landed a few minutes ago. Great power.