2021 GHSA Baseball Guide - Truist Park

GHSA 2021 STATE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS | TRUIST PARK

2021 GHSA BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

WORD FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

GREETINGS, GHSA BASEBALL FANS elcome to the 2021 GHSA BaseW ball championships! The games are sure to be exciting as all of the

schools represented are looking forward to their team achieving the title of “Champion”. However we all know that all of our teams are outstanding and are definitely winners.

This has been an outstanding season and this year’s championship games will include familiar faces as well as teams that have worked hard and peaked at just the right time. Our congratulations are in order for all of the teams, coaches, administrators, students and parents who have supported the athletes through this year’s journey to the final games. I know you will enjoy and appreciate the games and all of the work leading up to this exciting event.

I would also like to thank you for your support of high school baseball throughout the season. Your attendance and support is integral to the success of high school athletics and for the team you are here to cheer on. Good sportsmanship is expected from our athletes and I urge you to be positive in your support of all of our teams. Let’s work together to make today’s games a great experience for all involved.

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M AY 2 4 - 2 7

To put on an event of this magnitude takes many volunteers who have worked tirelessly to provide a “first class” event. Many hours of work from this group will enhance the experience of our players, students and fans. The GHSA staff has been working for weeks as well to ensure a special event for all involved.

Finally I would like to thank our corporate sponsors who make it possible to put on these championships. Their advertisements can be seen throughout this venue and I encourage you to support them whenever possible. The GHSA wants to thank these exemplary companies for their involvement, we appreciate their support.

Thank you for your attendance and I know you are going to enjoy the best high school baseball anywhere!

Sincerely,

James R. Hines, Jr. Executive Director

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MAY 25 - 12:00 PM

7A - Parkview vs North Paulding (If Game)

MAY 25 - 5:00 PM

5A - Loganville vs Starr’s Mill (H) (DH)

MAY 26 - 12:00 PM

5A - Loganville vs Starr’s Mill (If Game)

MAY 26 - 5:00 PM

6A - Lassiter vs Houston County (H) (DH)

6A - Lassiter vs Houston County (If Game)

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MAY 24 - 5:00 PM

7A - Parkview vs North Paulding (H) (DH)

MAY 27 - 12:00 PM

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MAY 24-27

GHSA BASEBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

HISTORIC SERIES SET FOR GEORGIA’S TOP THREE CLASSES

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

O

ne of the final sporting events and class also featured 6-foot-5 prospect Cade grand finale of the 2020-21 GHSA Sadler, who has batted 10-of-21 this postschool year will be Class 7A’s bat- season with three home runs and 10 RBIs. tle between the North Paulding Wolfpack and Parkview Panthers. North Paulding has worn the top seed out of Region 3 all the

RAISING THE BAR

North Paulding has earned their spot

Richmond Hill (10-2, 10-0) and East Paulding (12-0, 7-1) before running into Allatoona in the semifinals and overcoming the Bucs in three games (0-6, 6-1, 5-0).

SET FOR BATTLE

way to the finals, where the program will at this year’s finals and the team has meaClass 5A has been one of the most attempt to win its first-ever state title. In sured up well against the state’s most competitive classifications in the state order to achieve this historic win, howev- talented programs. Additionally, North this season with shakeups in the polls ocer, the Wolfpack will have to defeat a red- Paulding has won 16 of its last 17 games curring on a weekly basis. This trend has hot Parkview team that is searching for its and like Parkview, is playing its best basecontinued throughout the playoffs and Reninth all-time state title and third since ball of the season at the opportune time. gion 2 champion Starr’s Mill and Region 2018. Parkview carries a 16-game winning North Paulding’s playoff run has included 8 No. 2 seed Loganville are the last two streak into the finals and has continued sizeable victories over McEachern, Brookteams standing. Starr’s Mill is coming off playing better and better with each new wood, Woodstock and Forsyth Central in back-to-back three-game series victories round. Since their last loss (5-4 to Starr’s the semifinals. and Loganville is coming off a three-game Mill) on April 8, Parkview’s bats have exseries victory over St. Pius. This will be the ploded and they have racked up a 176-33 Down in Class 6A, the Lassiter Trojans first meeting between the two teams this run advantage over their opponents over look to complete their impressive playoff season and will also be an opportunity for the last 16 games. run against Houston County. Both programs have previously won two state titles Starr’s Mill to win the program’s first-ever Parkview ran into Lowndes in the and this will be the first meeting between state championship. Loganville has won semifinals and swept the Vikings with a the schools this season. Lassiter has bat- the last three Class 5A state titles and

massive 24-2 margin. Senior Ryan Spikes tled past Cambridge, Carrollton, Valdosta has five all-time state crowns in its prowent 6-for-9 at the plate with eight RBIs and Pope on its journey to the finals—giv- gram’s history. Last season was cancelled, and three home runs in the series and has ing the Trojans arguably a tougher course but this will be an opportunity for the Red been exceptional all postseason with his than Houston County encountered on Devils to become the first program since .500 batting average (13-of-26), 14 RBIs the opposite side of the bracket. Houston Richmond Academy (1951-56) to win fourand four home runs. Parkview’s senior County cruised past Tucker (13-2, 15-0), straight state titles.

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GHSA 2021 STATE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS | TRUIST PARK

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MAY 24-27

CHAMPIONSHIP BASEBALL ROSTERS & SCHEDULE

May 24 May 25 May 25 May 26 May 26 May 27

7A - Parkview vs North Paulding 7A - Parkview vs North Paulding 5A - Loganville vs Starr’s Mill 5A - Loganville vs Starr’s Mill 6A - Lassiter vs Houston County 6A - Lassiter vs Houston County

CLASS 7A

CLASS 6A

NORTH PAULDING WOLFPACK

PARKVIEW PANTHERS

LASSITER TROJANS

Head Coach: Dennis Jordan

Head Coach: Chan Brown

Head Coach: Kyle Rustay

2 Parker Doyle 2B/SS 12 3 Michael Parker OF 12 4 Cason Carter OF 11 5 Tanner Grinstead P 12 6 Brayden Groover 2B 12 7 Chris Cole OF 12 8 Camden Ackerson OF 11 9 David Kelliher P 12 10 AJ Ventry P 12 11 Payton Doyle SS/C/P 10 12 Mitchell Heer SS/P 12 13 Grayson Taylor C 11 14 Logan Lynch 3B/SS/P 12 15 Collin Wade 2B/OF 11 16 Blake Ptak C 12 17 Rylen Smith OF 11 18 Ryan Cismesia P 11 19 Victor Rodriguez P 11 20 Charlie Siegel P/3B 11 21 Griffin Cherry 3B 12 22 Dylon Rhadans P/1B 12 24 Hunter Sanders P 11 25 Tysen Benford 1B 11 26 Blayden Dannenburg 3B 11 27 Jake Hembree P/OF 10 33 Jackson Greer 2B/OF/P 10 34 Cameron Strader 1B/P 10 35 Cayden Sheffield C/P 9

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 13 14 15 16 18 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 33 34 25 36 44 46

(H)(DH) 5:00 PM (If Game) 12:00 PM (H)(DH) 5:00 PM (If Game) 12:00 PM (H)(DH) 5:00 PM (If Game) 12:00 PM

Ali Banks IF 10 Bryson Stripling C 12 Daylon Carleton OF 12 Dylan Speakman P/OF 12 Dobbs Bowden LF/DH 12 Sam Smith 3B/RF 12 Mason Brown P/DH 12 Jake Keener C 12 Ryan Spikes IF 12 Ryan Wade P 12 Cayden Gaskin IF 11 Ethan Lail IF 12 Ryan Bennett IF 12 Jordan Lowery IF 12 Jayden Talik OF 11 Matthew Holcomb P 11 Jabari Daniely 1B/DH 11 Colin Houck IF/P 10 Cade Brown IF 9 Wyatt Talik C 11 Andrews Opata OF 11 Ford Thompson P 9 Tanner Wagnon OF 11 Cade Sadler OF 12 Landon Stripling P/1B 10 Preston Morgan P 11 Thorpe Musci P 9 Garrett Lambert P/1B 10

HOUSTON COUNTY BEARS Head Coach: Matt Hopkins

2

Bradley Frye SS 12

1

Gage Harrelson

LHP/OF

11

3

Mikey Fettig

3B/P 12

2

Christian Davis

C/2B

12

4

Caleb Carpenter SS/3B 11

3

Kaden Galason

MIF

11

5

Andrew Kakareka

12

4

Nathan Brown

OF

12

6

Jack Rinehimer 2B/P 12

5

EJ Lewis

OF

12

7

Kyle Carlson

3B/P 12

6

Trent Ringer

IF/RHP

12

8

Ryan Martin

C/1B 11

7

Carson McFadden

LHP

12

9

Harris Bryson P

12

8

Drew Burress

OF/3B

10

10

Cameron Campbell

12

9

Hunter Chiapetta

IF

10

11

Caden Pierce P/1B 11

10

Brodie Chestnutt

1B/3B/RHP 12

12

Trey Griffin

P/1B 11

11

Chris Le

OF

12

13

Parker Hughes OF 12

13

Coleman Willis

1B/RHP

12

14

Ryan Stephens

12

14

Chase Waters

IF/RHP

12

15

Brady Kimberlin P/MF 11

15

Camden Hicks

C

11

16 18

Ben Norton Jackson Hall

P/MF 12 C/1B 12

17

Garrett Hortman

C

11

18

Blaydn Alaniz

MIF

11

20

Walker Noland

P/OF/1B 12

19

Colby Meservey

IF/OF

11

22 Ty Sphar

OF 12

20

Elijah Smith

IF/OF

10

24

Nick Newton

C/3B 11

24

Treyson Hughes

OF/RHP

12

25

Reece Robertson

P/OF

11

25

Eli Sikes

1B/RHP

12

26

Drew McMillan 2B/OF 12

27

Andrew Dunford

1B/3B/RHP 10

27

Max Beck-Berednsen OF

29

Brooks Willis

RHP

P

OF

C

12

9

CLASS 5A STARR’S MILL PANTHERS Head Coach: Brent Moseley

1 Josh Tate IF/P 11 2 Eli Jones IF/P 12 5 Alex Ukleja IF/P 11 6 Chay Yeager OF/IF/P 12 8 Ronan Arnold P 12 9 Ty Clem IF 11 10 Declan Dun P 12 11 Orlando Angulo IF 12 12 Ben Moseley IF/P 11 13 Sean White C/P 12 14 Thad Ector OF 12 15 Ryder Wagenknecht OF/P 12 16 Kyle Moore P 12 17 Devin Embry C/P 11 18 Daniel Courtney OF/P 12 19 Andrew Peters C 11 21 Bryson Daniel P 12 23 Ariston Veasey C 9 24 Evan Harrah IF/P 10 25 Parker Childress P 11 30 AT Sellers P 9 33 Austin Killingsworth OF 9 35 Sully White 1B 9 44 Heath Whitlock OF/P 9

LOGANVILLE RED DEVILS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 30 34 44

Head Coach: Jeff Segars

Riley Cruce Pearson Hewatt Dawson Coe Nash Beck Cooper Kennedy Chandler Haulk Brocker Way Christian Donaldson Maven Farmer William Cawthon Michael Mason Trenton Burnett Gavin Pankhania Hoyt Dobeck Ryan Grayson Parker McGaughey Jackson Daniel Daniel Braswell Matthew Heard Jackson Chizek Sherman Johnson II Cooper Johnson Jake Alvey Blake Carter Johnny Beaver Davis Roesler Gage Fullerton Joseph Johnson Tanner Truesdell

P P P C OF 1B OF/P MI/P OF/P C/3B OF OF/1B/P OF OF 3B/OF 1B OF/3B OF 3B/MI/P MI MI OF/P P OF MI C/OF 3B/OF C 1B

11 12 11 11 11 12 12 11 12 11 12 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 11 11 10 11 11 11 11 10 10 10 11

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GHSA 2021 STATE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS | TRUIST PARK

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MAY 24-27

GHSA BASEBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

ATLANTA BRAVES, TRUIST PARK PARTNER TO HOST A TRIO OF CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

T

he Atlanta Braves’ commitment steps of one of Major League Baseball’s historic events over the last few years. and ongoing partnership with the most successful franchises.

Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State faGHSA is bringing three state chammously played the first-ever football game HOME SWEET HOME pionship series to Truist Park this week— at the venue in 2018 and the Owls scored the latest joint initiative aimed to promote

Located in Cobb County, Truist Park a 60-52 victory in a five-overtime thriller.

the growth of youth baseball in the state. has quickly become a beloved home field Additionally, Truist Park has hosted top This partnership goes back decades and to the Atlanta Braves since its opening in music acts like Billy Joel, Metallica, Def the Braves willingly opened the doors of 2017. The ballpark features an intimate Leppard, Journey and the Zac Brown Band. their new stadium to Georgia High School configuration—despite its 41,084-seat cabaseball in 2019. That year saw Parkview pacity—and has the highest percentage of

PROUD PARTNERS

sweep Hillgrove for the Class 7A champi- seats closer to the field than any other ball Keeping this partnership going is a onship in what was the only series played park in Major League Baseball. Woody Stu- win-win for Georgia High School baseat the stadium. denmund of “The Hardball Times” called ball and the Atlanta Braves are mainthe park a “gem” and praised the “com- taining a cherished tradition of the Last year’s cancellation prevented pact beauty of the stadium and its exciting state’s professional teams partnering the opportunity from taking place, but the approach to combining baseball, business with high school sports. The AtlanBraves are rolling out the red carpet in a big and social activities.”

ta Falcons hosted the Georgia High

way—this time hosting Georgia’s top three

School football state championships

classifications (Class 5A, 6A and 7A) for

This year’s championship games are for years at the Georgia Dome, but

the second annual GHSA championships conveniently scheduled as the Braves hit have not been able to host the games at Truist Park. Additionally, the Braves are the road for series against the Boston Red at Mercedes-Benz Stadium the last few opening up the Red Deck for free parking Sox and New York Mets and they will be years due to logistical concerns. Deup to three hours and tickets will be just back at Truist Park on Sunday to close out spite this, Mercedes-Benz Stadium is $15.

a busy May schedule.

welcoming back the Corky Kell Classic this upcoming football season for

Partnering with the Braves is giving

Truist Park and the surrounding mix- its 30th anniversary and the state’s

these six finalists an opportunity to play in used development known as “The Battery” professional franchises are continuing one of the premier baseball venues in the that provides a back drop to the state-of- to shine a spotlight on Georgia high world and they will be walking in the foot- the-art stadium has been the site of many school athletics.

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GHSA 2021 STATE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS | TRUIST PARK

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MAY 24-27

GHSA PAST CHAMPIONS Year AAAA 1985 Forest Park 1986 Brookwood 1987 McEachern 1988 Evans 1989 Evans 1990 Evans 1991 Newnan 1992 Walton 1993 Evans 1994 Evans 1995 Sprayberry 1996 Parkview 1997 Colquilt Co. 1998 Harrison 1999 Lassiter 2000 Lowndes

AAA Marist Roswell Westside Westside Jones Co. Marist Columbus Columbus Columbus Marist Columbus Columbus Columbus Greenbrier Greenbrier Columbus

AA Hancock Central Harlem Shiloh Berrien Washington-Wilkes Lovett Perry Cook Lovett Lovett Vidalia Gainesville Gainesville Gainesville Thomasville Cook

A Calhoun Co. Clinch Co. Clinch Co. Towns Co. Clinch Co. Bremen Clinch Co. Clinch Co. Pace Acad.

Pace Acad.

Pace Acad.

Toombs Co. Irwin Co. North Forsyth Lovett Calhoun

Year AAAAA 2001 Parkview 2002 Parkview 2003 Colquitt Co. 2004 Milton 2005 Chattahoochee 2006 Lassiter 2007 Walton 2008 Brookwood 2009 Pope 2010 Harrison 2011 Parkview 2012 Parkview

AAAA Shaw Marist Marist Columbus Henry Co. Greenbrier Greenbrier Loganville Northgate Marist Marist Loganville

AAA Gainesville Gainesville Cartersville LaGrange Columbus Blessed Trinity Dunwoody Cartersville Cartersville Columbus Columbus Columbus

AA Cartersville Cartersville Vidalia Bacon Co. Calhoun Lovett Holy Innocents’ Wesleyan Lovett Calhoun Buford Appling County

Year AAAAAA AAAAA 2013 Milton Pope 2014 Lambert Houston Co. 2015 Parkview Greenbrier 2016 Walton Houston Co. Year 2017 2018 2019

AAAA Redan Carrollton Buford Locust Grove

AAAAAAA AAAAAA AAAAA Etowah Pope Loganville Parkview Pope Loganville Parkview Heritage Loganville

AAA Cartersville Blessed Trinity Blessed Trinity Westminster

AAAA AAA Marist North Hall Jefferson Lovett NS Columbus Pike Co

AA Lovett Benedictine Wesleyan Lovett AA Jeff Davis Benedictine Jeff Davis

A Walker Walker Clinch Co. Lakeview Acad.

Calvary Day ELCA Calvary Day Pacelli Wesleyan Wesleyan Hebron Chr. Providence Chr.

A-Private A-Public ELCA Charlton Co. King’s Ridge Charlton Co. King’s Ridge Schley Co. Tattnall Square Treutlen

A-Private Savannah Chr. Tattnall Square Tattnall Square

A-Public Schley Co. Gordon Lee Gordon Lee

Previous years available on www.ghsa.net 9 | W W W. G H S A . N E T

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