KATHLEEN — They may have been a three seed entering the postseason, but they are starting to play like champions.
The Flowery Branch baseball team, playing in its first ever state quarterfinal series, swept past Veterans and into the Class 5A semifinals on Wednesday in Kathleen -- allowing just one run total against the Region 1-5A champions.
The Falcons won Game 1 3-0 and then took a 3-1 decision in Game 2 to move into the Final Four.
Now, the Branch will get a chance to face down a well-familiar foe. The Falcons (22-16) will make the short trek down I-985 to face fellow Region 8-5A foe Buford in the semifinals, beginning with a doubleheader on Tuesday at Gerald McQuaig Field. The Wolves, who finished as the No. 2 seed from 8-5A and took two games off the Branch during the regular season, swept past Ola on Wednesday.
Yet this is a much different Flowery Branch team than the one Buford faced -- if only from a standpoint of momentum, as the Falcons seem to be getting better each round, notching the sweep on the road after winning in three games in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
The Branch got a strong performance from starter Andrew Armstrong in the opener, as he allowed just 2 hits and struck out 7 Warhawks batters in tossing the shutout.
Meanwhile, AJ Gonzalez provided all the offense the Falcons needed, launching a two-run home run in the top of the first that also plated Anthony Grutadaurio.
Blake Coxworth also had 2 hits in the openeing contest of the doubleheader.
Branch pitching was just as untouchable in the second contest, as Zander Sechrist surrendered just 3 hits and struck out 2 batters, as Veterans only managed one unearned run.
Grant Lackey smacked a two-run double at the plate, while Grutadaurio finished 1-for-2 with a walk.
Region 8-5A representatives will make up three-fourth's of the semifinals, as 8-5A champ Loganville also swept into the playoffs.
