Walton's baseball team has plans for Memorial Day that have nothing to do with barbecue —- unless the subject is a figurative grilling in Valdosta.

The Raiders will be in South Georgia for a Class AAAAA semifinal Monday —- and Tuesday, if they split the doubleheader —- trying to keep alive the defense of their state championship.

They don't seem to mind the travel, which has become a fact of postseason life for the Raiders after they finished with Region 6-AAAAA's third seed.

Walton had little problem dismissing Camden County last week in Kingsland, routing the Wildcats 11-1 and 8-0. The Raiders also beat Camden County in the semifinals last season, but the quarterfinal beating proved more severe.

Alex Sherrod led the Raiders (25-8), belting three home runs and driving in eight. Meanwhile, Walton got outstanding pitching, with starters Mark Pope and Kyle Putkonen limiting Camden County to one run and 11 hits in 13 innings, while striking out 17.

If they eliminate Valdosta, the Raiders will visit either North Cobb or Brookwood in the final May 30.

Kell and Holy Innocents' had hoped to spend the holiday differently, but both ran into season-ending snags last week.

Kell's 30-8 season ended in Valdosta, which swept the Longhorns 7-5 and 4-0.

Valdosta right-handed pitcher Kyle Rowe, who's certain to pitch against Walton, was too much for Kell. He improved his record to 12-1 by throwing a three-hit shutout, striking out nine batters in seven innings in the clincher.

And Earl Daniels, Valdosta's opening-game starter in the quarterfinals, is 12-0. He and Rowe have combined for a 24-1 record. The Wildcats (27-5) are 3-4 in the games in which neither has a decision.

Holy Innocents' path to a Class AA repeat hit a roadblock in Adel, the Golden Bears' bid to defend their state championship ending in a 4-3, 2-0 sweep by Cook.

That the first game went nine innings only made Cook's revenge against Holy Innocents' sweeter for the Hornets. Holy Innocents' defeated Cook in three games in the 2006 quarterfinals, beginning their comeback with a memorable 16-15 Game 2 victory that took 10 innings.

Holy Innocents' got as much as it could out of starter Yadier Grimm in the first game Tuesday. He went eight-plus innings, striking out nine —- including six of the first seven batters.

Cook advanced to a semifinal against Lovett, a team Holy Innocents' knows well since both come from Region 6-AA.

SEMIFINALS

(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