The quarterfinals of the state baseball playoffs will be held Tuesday and Wednesday with 20 best-of-three series. Here’s a look at each classification’s elite eight:
AAAAA
The skinny: Six of the eight region champions reached the quarterfinals. That's news because no region champ made the final eight last year. The other qualifiers are Luella and Brookwood. Half of the quarterfinalists opened their schools within the past eight years: Alpharetta (2003), Luella (2003), Mill Creek (2004) and Hillgrove (2006). The others have multiple state titles: Brookwood (1986, 2008), Colquitt County (1997, 2003), Parkview (1996, 2001, 2002) and Newnan (1951, 1991).
Best quarterfinal: The longest winning streaks in AAAAA belong to region champions Mill Creek (11) and Hillgrove (10). One will advance to the semifinals for the first time.
AAAA
The skinny: The big-name programs are rising to the top. Recent state-title winners still in the running are Marist (2010), Pope (2009), Loganville (2008), Greenbrier (2007) and Dunwoody (2007).
Best quarterfinal: Marist (27-3) and Greenbrier (21-8) collectively have won 15 state titles. Marist has allowed one run or fewer in its last 10 games and pitched 13 shutouts on the season. Greenbrier is averaging 10 runs per game in the state playoffs and has scored nine runs or more in 18 of 29 games.
AAA
The skinny: Woodward Academy and Allatoona are the only metro Atlanta teams still playing, and both have a good shot. Allatoona has two wins over its region champion, Cartersville. Since 2000, Cartersville has won five state titles and defending champion Columbus has won four. They are the most conspicuous teams in the draw.
Best quarterfinal: Cartersville (25-4) is 23-2 after losing its first two games to eventual AAAAA region champions Lassiter and Parkview. Spalding (27-2) is ranked No. 1 in the coaches' poll. Spalding ace Casey Moody, a junior, is coach Mickey Moody's son, a top prospect and the school's quarterback.
AA
The skinny: Three metro Atlanta teams are in it, all from Region 6, in Buford, Blessed Trinity and Lovett. Although Blessed Trinity and Lovett reached the semifinals last year and won state titles in 2006, Buford, without a title since 1977, has the best 1-2 starters in the state in Georgia Tech signees Jake Burnette and Josh Heddinger. Buford is 25-3 and has outscored its playoff opponents 50-5 in four games.
Best quarterfinal: Blessed Trinity, ranked No. 1, plays at Pike County, ranked No. 2. Blessed Trinity beat Pike 16-15 on Feb. 26 in a game that had 28 hits and eight errors. Pike is 26-1 since, and its current 25-game winning streak is the state's longest.
A
The skinny: Wesleyan's bid for a fourth consecutive state title was ended by Darlington last week. The team to beat now is Calvary Day (26-3), the 2005 and 2007 champion and holding a 23-game winning streak. Six of the final eight are private schools, including King's Ridge, Providence Christian and Hebron Christian of metro Atlanta.
Best quarterfinal: King's Ridge, the school co-founded by John Smoltz, has won two playoff series on the road, each time winning the third and final game. Providence Christian, the Region 5 champion, has averaged 12.4 runs in its five state playoff games. Providence's Christin Stewart has 20 home runs.
Schedule:
AAAAA
Brookwood at Newnan
Mill Creek at Hillgrove
Colquitt County at Alpharetta
Luella at Parkview
AAAA
Whitewater at Pope
Effingham County at Dunwoody
Greenbrier at Marist
Ola at Loganville
AAA
Woodward Academy at Mary Persons
Cartersville at Spalding
West Laurens at Columbus
Allatoona at Thomson
AA
Lovett at Jeff Davis
Blessed Trinity at Pike County
Pierce County at Buford
Appling County at Hart County
A
Treutlen at Hawkinsville
King’s Ridge at Providence Christian
Savannah Christian at Calvary Day
Hebron Christian at Darlington
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