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BASEBALL PLAYOFFS

CLASS AAAAA: BROOKWOOD 6-13, NORTH COBB 1-5: Brookwood moves on
'Special group of kids' will play for state title


The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 05/27/08

Opposing teams keep looking for ways to stop Ross Heffley. So far, no one's had any luck.

Heffley capped a six-run sixth inning with a two-run home run to help the Broncos pull away from North Cobb 13-5 and complete a sweep of the Class AAAAA semifinal series.

Brookwood (32-3), which fell from the top spot to No. 3 in USA Today's latest Super 25 rankings, will play in the state championship series for the first time since 1999 and try for its first state title since 1986.

"It's special; it's a special group of kids," Brookwood coach Rick Howard said. "What these kids have done for this program; I couldn't be happier."

Heffley, who had eight hits in last week's quarterfinal sweep of East Coweta, also had two singles that drove in runs, the last of which gave Brookwood the lead for good, 3-2 in the fifth. The Broncos then opened things up in the sixth as Ronnie Freeman clubbed a two-run home run and Jon Robinson (5-for-6, 4 RBIs in the doubleheader) stroked a two-run single before Heffley's opposite-field shot made it 9-2.

North Cobb (23-11) took a 2-1 lead in the third inning of Game 2 when Christian McCormick stroked a run-scoring single. It was the Warriors' last lead.

Chase Hawkins allowed one earned run in a complete game, 6-1 victory in the opener. Hawkins, a University of Georgia commitment, scattered six hits and struck out six to improve to 13-1.

Hawkins has "come so far; he's light years from where he was as a junior," Howard said. "With Chase, you know he's going to get ground balls and double plays. He competes."

The Broncos scored four runs in the second inning of the opener, giving Hawkins all the support he would need.

Robinson, Jordan Erisman and Hawkins all had run-scoring hits in the second, and Brookwood was helped by two North Cobb errors and a wild pitch by Game 1 loser Clay Dalton (5 IP, 9 H, 2 ER).

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