Greenbrier, Lakeside advance in playoffs
The Pack's Scott Wandless threw a complete game.
StaffTwo Columbia County high school baseball teams still have some work to do in the Georgia High School Association state playoffs, while two other county squads can start their summer vacations.
In Class AAAA action, Greenbrier and Lakeside won in first-round state-playoff action last week, while Harlem dropped the deciding contest of a three-game Class AAA series at Dublin High School, and Evans was swept in a Class AAAAA playoff series at Pope High School in Marietta.
The Wolfpack swept a first-round series against Woodward Academy, picking up 2-1 and 12-2 wins Thursday at the Brierpatch.
In the opener, Scott Wandless threw a complete game and earned the victory when Brad Ramsbotham ripped a home run in the bottom of the seventh. Wandless hit a grand slam in the second game to key an eight-run rally in the second that sparked a mercy-rule rout.
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"We hit the ball hard in that second game, and Scott's grand slam took the wind out of their sails," Greenbrier coach Ed Williams said.
The Pack is back on home turf today for a second-round matchup with Hardaway High School. The best-of-three series begins with a 4 p.m. doubleheader. The third game, if necessary, would be Thursday at 4 p.m.
Lakeside traveled to Newnan last week for a first-round Class AAAA series against Northgate High School. The Panthers were on the ropes after dropping the first game of Thursday's doubleheader 7-2, but Lakeside rallied for a 6-3 victory in the nightcap.
In the deciding game Friday at Northgate, Lakeside notched 12 hits en route to an easy 9-2 win. Phillip Choat was 2 for 3 with a double; Matt Shelton was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs; Chris Banker also went 2-for-4; Carl Burrow had a pair of hits, including a home run; Patrick Bagwell added two hits; and, Jonathan Crawford drove in two runs.
"We knew if we got to the third game, we'd be in good shape," Lakeside coach Jimmy Smith said. "We hit the ball real well, and Jonathan Crawford pitched a great game. We're starting to play good defense, and that's helped us."
Lakeside (16-10) will play a second-round series at Shaw High School in Columbus. The best-of-three series begins with a doubleheader today at 1 p.m. The "if" game is scheduled for Thursday.
"After losing every starter from last season, I never thought we'd get this far," Smith said. "They've exceeded my expectations, but we can stay with anybody on any given day."
Evans didn't have any luck last week. The Knights were on the way to Marietta on Thursday, but turned around and came home when stormy weather washed out the scheduled doubleheader.
The Knights returned to Pope on Friday, and lost 9-2 and 2-1 to end the 2003 season on a sour note.
"We didn't swing the bats too well," Evans coach Ricky Beale said. "We left runners on base and we couldn't get any clutch hits."
For Evans, Hank McCladdie and Chance Smith were productive at the plate during the series, and John Wehr tossed a complete game in the 2-1 loss to Pope.
"John Wehr pitched an excellent game," Beale said. "He gave us every opportunity to win the ball game, but we just couldn't help him out."
The Knights finished the season with a 15-8 record.
Harlem split its doubleheader last Wednesday at Dublin, but the Bulldogs were drubbed 16-3 in the third game of the Class AAA playoff series.