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Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Georgia High School Baseball Blog - May 20, 2008
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The second round of the GHSA state baseball playoffs provided two of the more stirring comeback victories in recent memory. Salem rallied from a six-run deficit to upset East Paulding 8-7, and Newnan used a seven-run seventh inning to defeat Warner Robins 13-12.
Otherwise …
Three out of four
Three regions put three of four playoff teams into the quarterfinals.
Region 8-AAAA
League champion Heritage surprised no one by reaching the quarters after sweeping North Springs and Dalton. Sophomore Tyler Austin hit home runs No. 17 and 18 in an 11-inning first-game victory against Dalton. His second home run won the game in the 11th. Austin has 30 career homers.
Second-seeded Loganville survived another three-game series, this time with Region 7-AAAA champion Rome, to reach the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2003.
Salem, which has won 12 of 13 games, shocked East Paulding on T.J. Cash’s three-run home run in the seventh inning.
Region 2-AAA
After a 5-4 victory against Spalding in the first round, Columbus (27-3) has averaged 12 runs per game in its last three, setting up a blockbuster quarterfinals matchup with Cartersville.
Shaw has won 11 consecutive games since losing to Columbus more than a month ago. The Raiders swept Burke County behind a 16-strikeout performance from Donte Williams in game two. Up next is Carrollton, which avenged a loss in last year’s Class AAA semifinals by knocking out defending state titlist Dunwoody.
Troup, having won 13 of its last 14 games, is one of only five 3-seeds still alive after sweeping 2-seed Perry and Region 3-AAA champ Harlem.
Region 6-AA
Region champion Wesleyan will take a 21-game winning streak into a quarterfinal series with Pierce County. Vanderbilt signee Grayson Garvin looks healthy after a two-hit, 15-strikeout performance against Callaway in the second round.
Defending Class AA champion Holy Innocents’ has righted its ship. The Golden Bears pitched three consecutive shutouts to the start the playoffs, then put away Adairsville in the second round to setup a showdown with red-hot Cook.
Lovett has won 11 consecutive games after a sweep of 2007 finalist Calhoun in the second round. The Lions will travel to Region 3-AA champion Westside-Augusta (22-2).
Worth a look
Four quarterfinal matchups worth the price of admission.
• Loganville at Greenbrier: Anyone noticed Nolan Belcher (11-0) and the two-time defending champion Wolfpack have allowed five runs in four games and are two victories from their third consecutive Class AAAA semifinals? Loganville (26-6) is coming off a mercy-rule thrashing of Rome to win its second-round series.
• Sequoyah at Woodward Academy: The Chiefs’ pitching (3.4 runs allowed per game) will go against the powerful bats of Woodward (18 games scoring 10 or more runs). Should be a fun Class AAAA series in College Park.
• Cartersville at Columbus: A classic battle between AAA powers. This is the third time in the last four seasons the Purple Hurricanes and Blue Devils will meet in the quarterfinals. Columbus won both previous meetings in 2005 and 2006.
• Holy Innocents’ at Cook: Not too many teams are hotter than the Hornets, who bullied Southeast Bulloch and Savannah Christian in consecutive sweeps to run their winning streak to 18 games. Now Cook (26-4) will try to get back to the Class AA semifinals for the first time since 2005, facing a Holy Innocents’ team that eliminated it in the 2006 quarterfinals.
Quarterfinals schedule
May 20 doubleheaders (best two of three; deciding game May 21, if necessary)
Class AAAAA
Kell at Valdosta, 5 p.m.
Walton at Camden Co., 4:30 p.m.
Newnan at North Cobb, 4:30 p.m.
Brookwood at East Coweta, 4 p.m.
Class AAAA
Salem at Lee Co., 5 p.m.
Loganville at Greenbrier, 5 p.m.
Sequoyah at Woodward Academy, 5 p.m.
Heritage at Griffin, 4:30 p.m.
Class AAA
Shaw at Carrollton, 4 p.m.
Troup at Stephens Co., 5 p.m.
Cartersville at Columbus, 2 p.m.
South Effingham at Oconee Co., 4 p.m.
Class AA
Holy Innocents’ at Cook, 4 p.m.
Lovett at Westside-Augusta, 4 p.m.
Wesleyan at Pierce Co., 4 p.m.
Screven Co. at North Oconee, 4 p.m.
Class A
Lanier Co. at Landmark Christian, 4 p.m.
Gordon Lee at Brookstone, 2 p.m.
Providence Christian at Telfair Co., 4 p.m.
Jefferson at Pacelli, 4 p.m.
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.
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