Holy Innocents' defeated Heard County 8-7 on a wild pitch on the final play of the game Wednesday in Game 3 of a Class AA quarterfinal series. That gives Region 6-AA all four qualifiers for the semifinals, which begin Monday. Wesleyan, Lovett and Greater Atlanta Christian are the others.
Matt Meadows hit a grand slam to tie the game in the sixth inning. Benjamin Maitski scored on a wild pitch for the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh. Holy Innocents’ is the fourth Region 6-AA team to make the final four.
Below are highlights from the other five Game 3's that were played Wednesday.
For a look at all 41 playoff games played on Tuesday (including Games 1 and 2 of the games covered below), see Tuesday's Baseball Blog.
Harrison 9, Collins Hill 2: Harrison became the final AAAAAA team to make the semifinals. James Williams pitched six scoreless innings, allowing three hits. Justin Fields was 3-for-5 with a home run.
Gainesville 12, Dalton 8: In AAAAA, Gainesville won a game it never trailed after taking a 10-4 lead through four innings. Jack Langford, the winning pitcher (3.2 IP, 3 ER) was 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Banks Griffith was 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. Jared Smith, Sam Carpenter and Fedrick Cardona had two hits apiece. Smith had two doubles.
Eastside 10, St. Pius 8: Cole Green hit a two-run double in a three-run seventh inning for the winning margin in this Class AAAA series. Green was 2-for-4 with five RBI. Eastside's Connor Howell was 2-for-4 with four RBI. Austin Holloway was 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Gray Ritchey pitched seven innings – and 150 pitches – for the complete game win. He allowed 11 hits and struck out eight.
Locust Grove 5, Heritage-Ringgold 0: In AAAA, Nolan Crisp pitched a two-hit shutout Odlandier Rodriguez was 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Jackson County 12, Ringgold 2: In AAA, Jackson County reached the baseball semifinals for the first time in program history. The clincher was a four-inning run-rule game. Coleman Barbee pitched a four-hitter. Chris Griggs hit two home runs. Jackson County is 3-0 in Game 3 situations this playoff season and has outscored its opponents 32-6 in those.
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