AJC > Sports > Highschools > Blog > Archives > 2008 > May > 20 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USGeorgia High School Baseball Blog - May 20, 2008
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.
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.
Permalink | Comments (31) | Post your comment | Categories: Hardball
Comments
By golfer
May 20, 2008 11:02 AM | Link to this
What about jefferson vs. pacelli? Thats gonna be a great matchup in single A….
By golfer
May 20, 2008 11:03 AM | Link to this
What about jefferson vs. pacelli? Thats gonna be a great matchup in single A….
By mistermak
May 20, 2008 11:36 AM | Link to this
Did we just totally forget about AAAAA baseball? What about the rematch between Walton and Camden? Go CATS!!!
By SS
May 20, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this
Wish I could go to the Cartersville at Columbus matchup. I would bet money it will the most fundamentally, well played 2-3 games in Georgia this year.
By SS
May 20, 2008 12:04 PM | Link to this
Sorry, I got cut off before I could finish posting. Wish I could go to the Cartersville at Columbus match up. I would bet money it will the most fundamentally, well played 2-3 games in Georgia this year. Funny how the same 10-20 teams advance to the quarters every year regardless of number of seniors and over all talent level. Same is true in football. It’s all about coaches who teach the little things! They serve while the other clowns seek to be served.
By Greg
May 20, 2008 12:52 PM | Link to this
SS @12:04, Part II
Well said.
By Kurt Aschermann Jr.
May 20, 2008 1:12 PM | Link to this
I’m headed to Lanier County-Landmark Christian and we have writers going to Brookwood-East Coweta, Sequoyah-Woodward and Newnan-North Cobb.
Let me know, where are you headed tonight?
Updates coming tonight; enjoy the games.
By Kurt Aschermann Jr.
May 20, 2008 6:24 PM | Link to this
Game one in the books at Landmark Christian.
War Eagles win 16-6 in five innings; took advantage of a strong wind blowing out to CF and hit 4 home runs, including 2 from catcher Blake Austin.
Michael Leonard goes all five and allows six runs (1 earned).
Couple minutes from gm. 2 first pitch, Landmark looking for the sweep and a spot in the Class A final four.
By Levi
May 20, 2008 7:10 PM | Link to this
Pierce County takes game one in eight innings 7-6 over Wesleyan. Brett Deloach hit a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth for the bears to help lead the home team to victory.
By Chad
May 20, 2008 8:07 PM | Link to this
North Oconee beats Screven County 6-3 in Game One.
By Kurt Aschermann Jr.
May 20, 2008 8:36 PM | Link to this
Sitting in a rain delay at Landmark….LC up 5-0 in the 4th, then the storms came and pounded the area for a good 20 minutes. Not sure if this one will continue tonight or if they decide to start game 2 over Wednesday.
Lanier hoping it’s the latter; the Landmark offense looks very good today as it’s had all season.
Another update coming soon.
By WR
May 20, 2008 8:55 PM | Link to this
Anyone heard anything about the Walton v Camden Co. game?
By Steve
May 20, 2008 9:29 PM | Link to this
Greenbrier over Loganville in first game 7-0. Nolan Belcher 7 innings, 13 strikeouts, 2 hits. Second game currently suspended due to weather with Loganville on top 7-3 after 4.
By clarke
May 20, 2008 9:58 PM | Link to this
Is there a score for the Brookwood/Coweta game?
By SS
May 20, 2008 10:04 PM | Link to this
North Cobb beat Newnan 11-1. Second game ppd. rain
By Levi
May 20, 2008 10:16 PM | Link to this
Wesleyan came back in the second game and beat Pierce County 3-1. Game three tomorrow afternoon at 4:00
By Levi
May 20, 2008 10:17 PM | Link to this
Wesleyan came back in the second game and beat Pierce County 3-1. Game three tomorrow afternoon at 4:00
By Stephanie
May 20, 2008 10:26 PM | Link to this
How about East Coweta and Brookwood? Did they get rained out?
By Tim
May 20, 2008 10:35 PM | Link to this
Columbus and Cartersville split. ‘Canes rally with a seven-run fifth, highlighted by Brac Barton’s grand slam to win 7-3. Columbus comes back and wins Game 2, 13-2 in six innings, behind the pitching of Zack Laughlin. Laughlin also cracked a 3-run homer to turn the second game into a rout. Game 3 is at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. This is some seriously good baseball.
By John
May 20, 2008 10:40 PM | Link to this
anyone have a score on Walton-Camden Co?
By Bruce
May 20, 2008 10:50 PM | Link to this
3 seed Walton won 11-1 against # 1 seed Camden CountyWalton won game 2, 8-0 game 2
By Baseball Coach
May 20, 2008 10:52 PM | Link to this
What happened at the Kell/Valdosta games?
By bill
May 20, 2008 11:19 PM | Link to this
Bruce, In just about every year, the region 6, #3 would be #1, in 1/2 of the other regions. Good to see Walton playing like every one expected them to play (finally).
By brett
May 21, 2008 12:10 AM | Link to this
Valdosta sweeps!! 7-5 and 4-0
By Mike
May 21, 2008 12:58 AM | Link to this
Cook sweeps Holy Innocents, 4-3 in 9 innings and 2-0 in game two. Cook’s pitching is just too good, not sure if anyone in AA has a better staff, and it showed tonight. Cook wins #20 in a row.
By Kurt Aschermann Jr.
May 21, 2008 1:05 AM | Link to this
Landmark sweeps Lanier County, 16-6 (5) and 11-4. Total time from 1st pitch of game one to end of game two was just under 8 hours…3-hour rain delay in the middle of gm. 2. When play resumed Lanier cut a 7-0 deficit to 7-4, but Luke Griffith’s opposite field grand slam in the 7th puts the game out of reach and sends the War Eagles to the Class A final four for the first time in school history.
Couple other Class A thoughts -
What happened to the Jefferson offense? Pacelli’s got some great arms to shut those bats down.
Providence Christian with a big sweep, leaving open the possibility of an all-Region 5-A title series. Providence-Pacelli should be a great semi final series.
Headed to Heritage-Griffin tomorrow for game 2, and possibly 3 of that series. Griffin up 1-0.
Hey, that Nolan Belcher guy is pretty good…..
Brookwood-East Coweta, game 2 will be Thursday.
By eddie
May 21, 2008 10:18 AM | Link to this
kurt,have you seen two better all-around baseball players than tanner bryant and michael leonard of landmark christian school?
By golfer
May 21, 2008 10:39 AM | Link to this
Wow region 4 in A has 2 teams in the final 4 so does region 5.
By Kurt Aschermann Jr.
May 21, 2008 10:49 AM | Link to this
Eddie
Bryant and Leonard are fine players, but I tell you the guy who might end up being a superstar in two years is Landmark’s catcher, Blake Austin. He’s got a great bat, a gun behind the plate, good catcher with the potential of being a great catcher (calls his own pitches as a sophomore)…
One thing about Bryant - after watching him last night against Lanier County, I can honestly say he’s the best fielding pitcher I’ve seen in 4 years of covering high school baseball.
By robert
May 22, 2008 10:09 AM | Link to this
this is a great entry. thanks.
By BBFN
May 22, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this
Kurt, What do you think are N Cobb’s chances? I watched Etowah light up their sophomore pitcher. He threw well and had a decent breaking ball, but he left too many pitches up in the zone and had trouble throwing the breaking ball for strikes (i.e., I could see where he could be a very good pitcher, he was having a bad game on that day). Their 1st 4 hitters, while relatively unknown, hit the ball hard in both games that I saw.