Milton was supposed to contend for a national title in baseball this season, but injuries and early losses against an unforgiving schedule ruined those ideas.
Instead, it is Lambert that is ranked No. 1 nationally by USA Today. But the Longhorns (34-1) must get by defending champion and surging Milton in the Class AAAAAA finals, which starts with a double-header on Saturday at Milton.
The best-of-three series is one of five that will decide champions in classes AAAAA through AA. Winners were crowned earlier this week in Class A public (Charlton County) and private (King’s Ridge).
Milton, which began the year ranked in the top five of three national polls, is only 27-7, but a 15-game winning streak and home-field advantage should make this series no less than a toss-up.
There’s even a chance that Milton’s potential first-round draft pick, Dylan Cease, could pitch. He’s been out with an elbow injury since early March and resumed playing as a designated hitter.
‘’There’s a very, very, very small chance he could pitch this weekend,’’ said Milton coach Joey Ray. “Very small. Maybe one inning.’’
Milton’s pitching is plenty tough already with Alex Schnell (9-2, 0.96) and Matt Geiger (7-0, 2.07) as their main starters. Schnell has signed with Clemson. Milton has seven hitters with averages of better than .325 in the lineup. The leader is shortstop Ryan Gridley (.460, 52 runs), who has signed with Mississippi State.
‘’Milton is solid one through nine and they know how to win,’’ Lambert coach Jamie Corr said. “Their pitching staff is the deepest in the state. They are very experienced.’’
Lambert, a 5-year-old Forsyth County school playing in its first state-championship series, is remarkable for having only one loss against a schedule with four potential state champions, including Georgia finalists Blessed Trinity and Houston County.
‘’We have a solid team and have played fundamentally sound all year,’’ Corr said. “Our record is the result of playing unselfishly as a team as well as benefitting from a lot of luck and fortunate bounces.’’
Lambert is hitting .378 as a team with 31 home runs. Sophomore right fielder Seth Beer is having a player-of-the year season, batting .624 (63-for-101) with 10 home runs. Beer is 7-0 as a pitcher with an 0.58 ERA in a rotation led by J.D. Dutka (10-1, 2.05) and Dylan Biumi (10-0, 1.01 ERA). Other top hitters have been Ian Kimbrell (.460) and Kyle McCann (.422).
‘’What makes them good and a little scary is they have tremendous talent and a great coach,’’ Ray said. “But it’s nothing we haven’t seen. We’ve played some of the best teams in the country the past few years. As long as we show up worrying about ourselves, we have a chance.’’
Three other championships series will begin Saturday. The AAAA series will begin Monday and continue Tuesday if necessary.
Most series have teams without much state-title hardware.
In AAAAA, Houston County or Whitewater will become a first-time state champion. The AAAA finalists, Carrollton and Crisp County, last won state titles in the 1960s. In AA, Greater Atlanta Christian’s last title was 1982. Benedictine’s came in 1961.
The most experienced winner is AAA finalist Cartersville, going for its seventh state title since 2001 against Blessed Trinity, which last won in 2006.
Saturday (Game 3 on Monday if necessary)
AAAAAA - Lambert at Milton, 4:30 p.m.
AAAA - Crisp County at Carrollton, 3 p.m.
AAA - Blessed Trinity at Cartersville, 3 p.m.
AA - GACS at Benedictine, 1:30 p.m.
Monday (Game 3 on Tuesday if necessary)
AAAAA - Houston County at Whitewater, 3 p.m.
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