The Class 6A championship is headlined by two programs who were a win away from reaching the finals a year ago. The Allatoona Buccaneers will face off against the Pope Greyhounds for the third time this season. The two teams split their regular season games in a home and away series. Allatoona, playing in its ninth straight GHSA playoffs, looks for its first-ever state title after its second consecutive trip to the final four. Led by top 2023 prospect RHP/UTL Ethan Sutton — who is ranked the 13th overall prospect in the state (PBR Georgia) –and senior Aidan Jolley (GT-commit), the Buccaneers cruised through the semis taking the first and second game of the doubleheader against Lassiter. Sutton pitched a 10K complete game in the latter to send the Bucs to the finals. The Bucs began their season winning 20-straight games before falling to the Greyhounds on April 1 in their second meeting with Pope.
Pope is led by first year head coach Chris Turco, after Georgia baseball legend, Jeff Rowland, retired following the 2021 season. He led the Greyhounds to four state titles in his 27 years at the helm of the program. Since Pope’s loss to Allatoona in the first of the team’s two meetings this season, Turco has led the Greyhounds to 23 wins in their last 24 games, while both teams have yet to lose a game in the playoffs. Pope has dominated at the plate in these playoffs, scoring at least eight runs in all eight playoff games and scoring 10+ in the first four games. Pope’s leading hitter, junior Carson Kerce, is also a Georgia Tech commit. In the two semifinal games, he went 4/7 at the plate with four RBI’s as well as a two-inning pitching save on the mound in Game 1.
Cherokee County Championship
The Cherokee County Championship ought to be the name of the Class 7A championship as the Etowah Eagles face off against the Woodstock Wolverines for Cherokee County primacy. Etowah, after losing in the first round of the playoffs last season to North Gwinnett, conquered the demons after beating the Bulldogs in the quarterfinals in a dominant, 11-1 game three to advance to Mill Creek in the final four. Etowah has shown an ability to win when it matters most after winning both its second and third round series in Game 3. A strong 1-4 batting lineup has propelled the Eagles in many of their low scoring wins this season. The 2017 Class 7A champions will look to pick up their second baseball title in school history.
Woodstock is riding high after defeating last year’s champions, Parkview, in a two-game sweep last week. While Woodstock hasn’t been blowing teams out of the water, it has won every playoff game this season, although the last four were won by a combined 6 runs. It lost 11 seniors a year ago, yet finds itself with its best opportunity to win a first-ever baseball state title. The back-to-back Region 5-7A champions won the season series against Etowah, taking the rubber match in a tightly contested three games in a series two weeks before the playoffs began. Each game was decided by two runs or less, anticipating what should be a great showing from both teams in the final weekend of the GHSA baseball season.
GHSA BASEBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
TRUIST PARK – ATLANTA BRAVES
Thursday, May 19
5:00 pm: Class 6A – Allatoona vs Pope (H) (DH)
Friday, May 20
12:00 pm: Class 6A – Allatoona vs Pope (H) (If Game)
5:00 pm: Class 7A – Etowah vs Woodstock (H) (DH)
Saturday, May 21
7:00 pm: Class 7A – Etowah vs Woodstock (H) (If Game)
ADVENTHEALTH STADIUM – ROME BRAVES
Friday, May 20
5:00 pm: Class 4A – LaGrange vs North Oconee (H) (DH)
Saturday, May 21
5:00 pm: Class 5A – Cartersville vs Loganville (H) (DH)
Monday, May 23
Time TBA: Class 4A – LaGrange vs North Oconee (If Game)
7:00 pm: Class 5A – Cartersville vs Loganville (If Game)
COOLRAY FIELD – GWINNETT STRIPERS
Monday, May 23
5:00 pm: Class 3A – Redan vs Pike County (H) (DH)
Tuesday, May 24
12:00 pm: Class 3A – Redan vs Pike County (H) (If Game)
5:00 pm: Class A Private – North Cobb Christian vs Wesleyan (H) (DH)
Wednesday, May 25
7:00 pm: Class A Private – North Cobb Christian vs Wesleyan (H) (If Game)
JI CLEMENTS FIELD – GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY – STATESBORO
Monday, May 23
5:00 pm: Class 2A – Vidalia vs Thomasville (H) (DH)
Tuesday, May 24
12:00 pm: Class 2A – Vidalia vs Thomasville (If Game)
5:00 pm: Class A Public – Charlton County vs Metter (H) (DH)
Wednesday, May 25
7:00 pm: Class A Public – Charlton County vs Metter (If Game)
Loading ...
