Alex Schnell pitched a gem, and nine-hole hitter Dalon Farkas delivered a two-out, game-winning RBI in extra innings, lifting Milton to a 2-1 victory over Roswell in the Class AAAAAA state championship Monday.
It’s the third state championship for the Eagles in baseball and their first since 2004, but it was anything but easy.
The Fulton County rivals battled in front of raucous, overflow crowds for three games at the Eagles’ new field. Fans sat on top of the outfield fences. Some even climbed trees, trying to catch a peek of a well-played, thrilling series. The two teams split two games Saturday, setting up a Memorial Day showdown that featured plenty of drama.
With two outs in the eighth, catcher Nick Bradshaw doubled to right-center. Bradshaw committed a throwing error in the fourth that allowed Drew Davis to score Roswell’s only run. Bradshaw redeemed himself with the eighth-inning double and landed on second base with a fist-pump and a scream.
Farkas then lined a 3-1 pitch up the middle, driving home courtesy-runner Andrew Wood for the winning run.
“It was the most fun I’ve had during my baseball career,” Bradshaw said.
Schnell, a junior left-hander, allowed one unearned run on two hits. He struck out six and walked one.
Milton coach Joey Ray thought only briefly about taking Schnell out, after Roswell’s Mitchell Benson led off the eighth with a single. Benson reached second on a sacrifice bunt from Adam Terrinoni, but Schnell induced consecutive flyouts to end the game.
Roswell’s Devin Browning and Austin Krzeminski both pitched well for the Hornets, who were playing in their fifth Game 3 of the playoffs. Browning allowed one run on five hits in three innings, before turning it over to Krzeminski, who allowed one run on four hits in five innings.
“We fought through five Game 3’s (in the playoffs) and extra innings today,” Roswell coach Mike Power said. “You see the blood, sweat and tears that these kids put in … it’s tough, but I couldn’t be any prouder.”
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