A total of 351 team state championships have been won by two schools just a couple miles apart in Buckhead. And during this Memorial weekend, one more will be fought over as the Lovett and Westminster baseball teams clash in the AA state finals. Despite each schools’ wealth of athletics success, they have never met in the baseball finals.
When the Lions and Wildcats play in anything, a lot is on the line. But this weekend may go down as one of the most important competitions ever between the schools.
Lovett has been the traditional baseball power, with six state titles since 1990. But Westminster, on an epic roll in athletics this school year with 11 state championships, swept the Lions this year in the regular season to turn the rivalry on its ear. What could be more galling to a Lovett Lion than to lose in arguably its best sport to Westminster, which has not been to the finals since its only baseball state championship in 1975?
The Wildcats have won 246 state championships in their history, which Westminster believes to be the most of any school in the state, while Lovett has won 105.
“This is record-breaking for us,” said Westminster statistician Joe Sturniolo. “We have more state championships than any school in the state (246), but we’ve never had this kind of success in a year. We’ve got nine this spring, 11 on the season, with a chance to add baseball this weekend, I mean that’s incredible.”
The head coaches at each school acknowledge that this series has a little something extra.
“I think it does,” said Lovett coach Lance Oubs. “I’ve tried to do the best I can to try and downplay it with our guys, that it’s Westminster. Of course, these guys know each other. They’ve played against each other growing up, so it’s hard to say, look, try not to think about that being Westminster over there. That being said, these guys are excited.”
Despite the intensity of the rivalry, Westminster coach Russell Wrenn is able to recognize just how special making the finals is.
“Playing for the state championship is a great achievement regardless of who you’re playing,” said Wrenn. “I told our kids before we knew if it would be Lovett or Benedictine that to win a state title, we’re going to have to beat another great baseball team.”
While trying to ignore the team in the other dugout may be the focus this weekend, there is something different about this series.
“This is about as intense as it gets when you talk about a school that’s two miles down the road,” said Oubs, who has also coached at high schools in Texas and Louisiana. “You’ve got the same caliber athlete, the same type of kid at both institutions and guys who know each other and are friends with each other that are going to be in opposite dugouts Saturday. I haven’t been a part of a rivalry like this at any other school, but its always good when we play.”
Wrenn is in just his second season as Westminster’s baseball coach and is only the third baseball coach in the history of the school, which opened in 1951. Also a member of the football staff, Wrenn knows the rivalry well despite his short time as a Wildcat.
“My experience in football and baseball is that (the rivalry) has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Wrenn. “While it’s a heated rivalry, it’s very much a friendly rivalry. I’ve experienced nothing but positive interactions between the football and baseball teams.”
This weekend, starting pitching will be key for both clubs. Westminster saw junior Hays Meyer toss a no-hitter in Game 1 of the semifinals while Lovett rode complete games from Micah Stallings and Robbie Baker (Univ. of Richmond signee) to semifinal wins.
“Starting pitching is going to be huge for both teams,” said Oubs. “I would expect because of the quality pitching depth that both teams have, I would expect them to be close games and low-scoring games. Runs should be at a premium this series.”
Many baseball fans across the state will follow the series this weekend, but it will no doubt be talked about in Buckhead for a long time.
Class AA baseball finals
at Westminster
Game 1
Saturday, 6 p.m.
Probable starters:
Lovett: Mitch Stallings – 9-1, 1.12 ERA
Westminster: Hays Meyer – 9-2, 1.29 ERA
Game 2
Monday, 3:30 p.m.
Lovett: Robbie Baker – 10-2, ERA 1.99, or Pearce Howell – 6-2, 1.79 ERA
Westminster: Conrad Cornell – 10-0, 1.77 ERA
Game 3 (if necessary)
immediately after Game 2
Lovett: Robbie Baker – 10-2, 1.99 ERA, or Pearce Howell – 6-2, 1.79 ERA
Westminster: Dalton Light – 0-1, 3.85 ERA
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