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Friday, May 23, 2008
Georgia High School Baseball Blog - May 23, 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.
20 teams remain in the GHSA state high school baseball playoffs. We give you a glimpse of what’s already happened and what’s expected when the tournament resumes on Monday.
Class AAAAA
What we know: Walton isn’t going anywhere.
The Raiders have looked like they did during last season’s state-title run. The pitching has been stellar with Mark Pope almost guaranteeing first-game victories. Pope is 8-1 with a 0.76 ERA after a victory in each of the first three rounds. The offense has scored at least five runs in all seven playoff games.
Valdosta, with University of Georgia commitments Earl Daniels and Kyle Rowe, might be the first team with the starting pitching that can match Walton’s trio of Pope, T.J. Kerins and Kyle Putkonen.
Red-hot North Cobb, winners of 18 of 21 games, battles No. 1 Brookwood.
Class AAAA
What we know: Nothing.
Class AAAA has baffled us in each round. First, Salem shocked East Paulding in the second round, then Loganville ended Greenbrier’s two-year state title run in the quarterfinals with a Wednesday sweep after dropping Tuesday’s opener to Nolan Belcher (complete game, two hits, 13 strikeouts).
On the other side of the bracket, Sequoyah has run through two No. 1 seeds - Marist and Woodward Academy. In the deciding game against Woodward, a go-ahead grand slam by Tyler Adams and fantastic relief from Jojo Keller (three innings pitched, nine strikeouts, one earned run) were all the Chiefs needed to advance. Griffin eliminated Heritage behind a two-hitter from sophomore lefty Jeremy Holcomb. Amazing that two Region 8-AAAA teams reached the quarterfinals. Heritage, the region champ, didn’t.
Class AAA
What we know: Now that it has jumped the Columbus hurdle, Cartersville should win Class AAA.
Cartersville survived its toughest test, going to Columbus and knocking off the Region 2-AAA champions after failing to do so in the last two quarterfinal meetings.
Cartersville’s Region 6-AAA mate, Carrollton, will join the Purple Hurricanes in the semis. We’ve gotten used to seeing the Trojans still playing in the final week of the season: This is Carrollton’s third trip to the semifinals four years.
The other two participants, Stephens County and South Effingham, are legit. The Indians thumped Flowery Branch 16-0 in the second-round finale, then scored 18 runs in a sweep of Troup. South Effingham has run through three good teams in six games, and senior catcher John Roberts is always a home-run threat.
Class AA
What we know: Look out for Lovett.
There’s nothing surprising about Wesleyan reaching the Class AA semifinals, or even Region 8-AA champion North Oconee or Cook (20 consecutive victories) joining the favored Wolves. But Lovett, the No. 3 seed from Region 6-AA, may have shocked a few people. In consecutive sweeps of Calhoun and Westside-Augusta, the offense averaged 11.5 runs per game, led by senior first baseman Adam Whitlock, who is 11 for his last 11 with 12 RBIs.
Class A
What we know: Landmark Christian is for real.
The Region 5-A champs can hit, scoring more than 12 runs per game in six playoff games. But Landmark also has gotten great pitching (2.8 runs per game allowed in postseason) and will match wits with Brookstone’s staff (allowing two runs per game in playoffs).
Pacelli’s pitching also has been fantastic. The Vikings staff held powerful Jefferson to a single run in two games and has had three shutouts in their past four playoff games. Providence Christian comes to Columbus after knocking off two region champs - Bremen and Telfair County.
Semifinals schedule
Best-of-three series begin with a doubleheader on Monday.
Class AAAAA
Walton at Valdosta
North Cobb at Brookwood
Class AAAA
Salem at Loganville
Sequoyah at Griffin
Class AAA
Carrollton at Stephens County
South Effingham at Cartersville
Class AA
Lovett at Cook
Wesleyan at North Oconee
Class A
Brookstone at Landmark Christian
Providence Christian at Pacelli
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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