COMMERCE — Commerce is glad the second round is over.
And extra happy they escaped with two tight wins over Bowden, 8-7, 11-7, at home to advance to the quarterfinals of the Class A Public playoffs on Wednesday.
The Tigers held off a fierce run from Bowdon to win in eight innings, 8-7, in Game 1 and had to rally to win Game 2.
In Game 1, Bowdon chipped away the Tigers' 7-2 lead to tie the game in the seventh and take it to extra innings.
The Blue Devils took advantage of the Tigers' pitching in the seventh inning that yielded four runs and started with three straight walks.
Kiler Cole's double to center field drove in two runs to cut the lead, 7-5. After a sacrifice fly that scored a run, Bowdon tied the game on an error from shortstop Matt Martin.
But the Tigers responded in the bottom of the eighth with two outs when W Slater scored on an error by Bowdon first baseman Rett Thomas to walk off with the win.
In Game 2, C Lord started the scoring with a two-run homer, followed by C Welch with a two-run long ball of his own to push the Tigers ahead, 4-1.
Bowdon drove in two runs in the third and the fourth to grab the lead, 5-4.
The Tigers then reeled off seven runs over the next three innings to outrun the Blue Devils.
AREA BASEBALL SCOREBOARD, Wednesday, May 5
CLASS 6A
Buford 8-0, Pope 1-1
CLASS 4A
Marist 6-10, Jefferson 3-0 (Marist advances)
CLASS 3A
Cherokee Bluff 1-9, Greater Atlanta Christian 2-6
Hart County 2-5, North Hall 0-8
CLASS A PUBLIC
Commerce 8-11, Bowden 7-7 (Commerce advances)
Thursday, May 6
CLASS 6A
Pope (R6, S2) at Buford (R8, S1) -- Game 3, 5:55 p.m.
CLASS 4A
Flowery Branch (R8, S3) at Cedartown (R7, S1) -- (DH), 4 p.m. -- (moved from Wednesday)
CLASS 3A
Cherokee Bluff (R7, S2) at Greater Atlanta Christian (R5, S1) -- Game 3, 5:30 p.m.
Hart County at North Hall (R7, S1) -- Game 3, 4 p.m.
Friday, May 7
Flowery Branch (R8, S3) at Cedartown (R7, S1) -- Game 3, if necessary, 6 p.m.
