By Score Atlanta
Seven state champions were crowned during the GHSA’s baseball tournaments, but not every title winning team took the same route. Parkview dominated its way to a 34-2 record, its sixth championship and a No. 1 national ranking according to MaxPreps, but the Class AAAAAA power had to overcome some early bumps in the road. The Panthers lost their first game of the season to Lassiter, 4-3 in eight innings in game three of the early season. They would string together six straight wins before losing to bitter rival Brookwood, 3-2. Parkview would get their revenge later in the season with a 7-1 win which was a part of the team’s 26-consecutive wins to end the season.
Greenbrier (30-4) cruised out of the gate in Class AAAAA winning its first 13 games before falling to rival Lakeside-Evans, 3-0 after beating them 11-1 earlier in the season. Much like Parkview, the Wolfpack would get the last laugh with a 4-1 win over the Panthers. Greenbrier was pushed to the brink twice in the playoffs and faced elimination in the first round against Hardaway and in the state championship against Gainesville after dropping opening games. The Wolfpack stuck together however and managed to bring home the program’s sixth title.
Class AAAA was dominated by the loaded Buford Wolves (34-2). The now three-time state champs pitched six shutouts en route to sweeping through the playoffs. A 23-game winning streak capped the season for the Wolves. Buford’s only two losses came at the hands of DeSoto Central (MS) and Class AAAAAA’s Mountain View.
At 33-2, Blessed Trinity allowed the fewest runs in the entire state regardless of classification with 39. Jefferson’s four runs scored in Game 2 of the Class AAA state finals was the most runs allowed in 27 games by the Titans. They won 31-straight to finish the season. Blessed Trinity’s only two losses came to Brookwood and St. Pius in games two and four of the regular season.
Wesleyan swept through the Class AA playoffs and earned the program’s fourth state title after compiling a 32-4 record. The Wolves’ only losses came to Class AAA runner-up Jefferson, Providence Christian Academy and region foes Lovett and Greater Atlanta Christian.
Game 3 victories over Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy and Hebron Christian in the finals highlighted King’s Ridge Christian’s road to a repeat in Class A-Private. The 30-5 Tigers behind first year head coach and former MLBer Dallas McPherson were able to defeat Hebron in extra innings in Game 3 to clinch another title.
Schley County (25-5) swept Emanuel County Institute for the Class A-Public title. It was the program’s first championship. A 2-1 Game 3 win over top-seeded Treutlen in the semifinals was the Wildcats’ biggest test.
Class AAAAAA
1. Parkview
2. Walton
3. Kennesaw Mountain
4. Pope
5. Collins Hill
6. North Gwinnett
7. Milton
8. Brookwood
9. Lambert
10. Mountain View
Class AAAAA
1. Greenbrier
2. Gainesville
3. Allatoona
4. Jones County
5. Loganville
6. South Effingham
7. Union Grove
8. East Paulding
9. Starr’s Mill
10. Ola
Class AAAA
1. Buford
2. Whitewater
3. Veterans
4. St. Pius
5. Cartersville
6. Locust Grove
7. Wayne County
8. North Hall
9. Columbia
10. Troup County
Class AAA
1. Blessed Trinity
2. Jefferson
3. Westside-Augusta
4. Westminster
5. Jackson
6. Pierce County
7. Hart County
8. Callaway
9. Oconee County
10. Ringgold
Class AA
1. Wesleyan
2. Darlington
3. Fitzgerald
4. Rabun County
5. Greater Atlanta Christian
6. Lovett
7. Heard County
8. Gordon Lee
9. Benedictine
10. Bacon County
Class A
1. King’s Ridge
2. Hebron Christian
3. Eagle’s Landing Christian
4. Schley County
5. Tattnall Square
6. Treutlen
7. Whitefield Academy
8. Emanuel County Institute
9. Brookstone
10. Atkinson County
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