Playoff baseball: Stephens Co. batters Falcons in Game 3, wins series

FLOWERY BRANCH - One day's rest was just what the doctor ordered for the Stephens County baseball team - and poison for Flowery Branch.

After Game 3 of the Indians' Class AAA playoff series at Flowery Branch was postponed on Thursday due to rain, Stephens County put on a storm of its own Friday, torching the Falcons 16-0 in three innings to take the best-of-three series 2-to-1.

Flowery Branch coach Jimmy Lawler said it was a case of one team showing up and another not.

"When you don't bring your best game in the playoffs every game you're going to get beat. That's what happened (Friday)," Lawler said. "We just never really had it."

Stephens County coach Mark Gosnell, however, said his team felt confident after extending the series with a Game 2 win on Wednesday.

"We felt like we had a good read on them and the boys came ready to play," Gosnell said. "I don't think you ever expect to run-rule a team in the playoffs but we hit the ball pretty good (Friday)."

The win moved the Indians (24-7) into the Class AAA quarterfinals against Troup County. That series will begin Tuesday in Toccoa. Troup swept Harlem 7-3 and 17-3 in a doubleheader on Wednesday.

The Falcons end their season at 27-5 and Region 7-AAA champions.

"We had a great season. I just wish it could have ended a little better for the seniors. They were a great group to coach and be around," Lawler said.

The Indians took advantage of every break they got Friday. A wind-aided double that fell between three Flowery Branch fielders extended the first inning and Cody Martin blasted a three-run home run to give them a 4-0 lead.

Stephens County extended the lead to 9-0 in the second inning taking advantage of one Flowery Branch error, a walk, and two hit batters with the bases loaded. The Indians put the game away in the third with seven runs, highlighted by a pair of three-run home runs from Chan Cash and Bryan Whitfield, which ended the game by virtue of the 15-run mercy rule after three innings.

Martin earned the win for Stephens allowing just two hits, striking out two, and getting one double play to end a potential Flowery Branch threat in the second inning.

"Cody's home run in the first was the big hit. That really got us going and the rest of the team just picked up the momentum from there," Gosnell said.

Cody Ackerman took the loss for Flowery Branch lasting just 1 1/3 innings allowing nine runs on five hits. James Mills got the Falcons out of the second inning with two fly ball outs but was tagged for seven runs - only four earned - in the third inning.

Flowery Branch won Game 1 of the series 4-1, while Stephens County responded with an 8-7 victory in Game 2 to even the series and send it to a deciding Game 3.