BUFORD -- It all comes down to one game for both the Buford and Locust Grove baseball teams Monday at McQuaig Field.
The two teams split their Class AAAA championship series doubleheader Saturday with Buford taking Game 1, 3-2, behind a complete-game effort from Justin Glover and a game-winning, bases loaded walk from Nick Wilhite in the bottom of the seventh inning. Locust Grove answered with a 4-2 Game 2 victory behind freshman Nolan Crisp, who held Buford to just six hits and two runs in six innings.
Game 3 is set for Monday at 5:55 p.m. at McQuaig Field.
The Wolves are likely to send junior Frank Bradshaw to the hill while the Wildcats are likely to go with senior Christian Young.
Neither pitcher is a stranger to the opposition. Bradshaw tossed five scoreless innings against the Wildcats in a 3-0 Buford loss during the regular season. Young pitched a scoreless stretch against the Wolves in that same game.
“Frank has been our No. 3 guy all year and he threw well against them earlier so right now we’re probably leaning that way,” Buford coach Wolfe said. “We have a lot of good arms left and we have confidence in all of them.”
Both teams come in with history on their minds. Buford is looking for its first-ever back-to-back state titles in baseball after claiming the 2015 crown. The Wildcats are looking for their first-ever state title, which would be the first for the seven-year-old school in any team sport.
NOTES: The loss for Buford was its first in the 2016 playoffs. It also snapped a 19-game playoff win streak going back to the 2014 playoffs. ... The Wildcats are now 4-0 in elimination games in the 2016 playoffs. ... Monday's Game 3 will be the first elimination game for the Wolves since falling to Cartersville in the 2014 semifinals. ... Buford senior Brandon Marsh had a huge doubleheader going 6-for-8 with a home run and raised his Gwinnett County-leading batting average from .542 to .556 on the season.
