SAVANNAH — North Hall and Pierce County both have proven that it's not how you start, but how you finish.
The two teams will meet Thursday in an 11 a.m. doubleheader to open a best-of-three series in search of the Class AAA baseball championship. Game 3, if necessary, would be on Saturday in a time yet to be determined.
North Hall (27-11) comes in riding an eight-game winning streak while the Bears (28-7) have won 12 straight, including sweeping all four of their playoff series,
It is expected to be a low-scoring affair as the two teams have dominated on the mound in the playoffs.
NORTH HALL vs. PIERCE COUNTY
-- WHEN: Thursday 11 a.m. (DH); Saturday (Game 3 if necessary) TBD
-- WHERE: Grayson Stadium, Savannah
-- NORTH HALL (27-11, No. 3 seed Region 7-AAA): Swept Calhoun in the semifinals round, 10-1 and 3-0
-- PIERCE COUNTY (28-7, Region 2-AAA champion): Swept Coahulla Creek in the semifinals, 5-1 and 5-0
-- NOTABLE: Pitching has dominated in the Class AAA playoffs and don't expect anything different in the finals. Pierce County comes in as the stingiest team in the classification yielding just 85 total runs (2.43 rpg) and the Bears have been even tougher in the playoffs giving up just eight runs total (1.0 rpg) while sweeping all four rounds into the finals. North Hall has allowed 116 runs (3.05 rpg) but has givien up just 26 runs (2.88 rpg) in the playoffs. ... The Trojans have produced more runs during the season (233, 6.13 rpg) than the Bears (214, 6.11 rpg) and North Hall has been outstanding in the clutch situations. The Trojans were a blistering 17-for-47 and 26 RBI with RISP (.361 BA) over the past two rounds. ... North Hall junior rght-hander Reese Olson (12-1, 1.44 ERA) can break the Trojans' single-single wins record shared with Preston Graham (2013) with a victory in the finals. Olson is expected to get the ball in Game 1. Corban Meeler (8-4, 1.95) is likely to go in Game 2. ... Senior SS Taber Mongero leads the North Hall offense with a .421 BA and 33 RBI in the leadoff spot. The Trojans have hit just 3 HRs on the season led by Charlie Erickson (.276, 2 HR, 29 RBI). ... No matter the winner, it will be the first state title in baseball for either program in their history. It would be the first team title in any sport for North Hall.
-- WINNER: Class AAA state champion
