DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. — Habersham Central made history on Wednesday.
The Raiders used a six-run fifth inning to rally from an early deficit en route to a 9-5 win over South Paulding in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs.
The victory pushed Habersham Central (22-13) into the quarterfinals for the first time in program history. Raiders coach Chris Akridge called it a long time coming.
"It’s certainly very rewarding and a special feeling. I’m so proud of our kids and all of the work that they’ve put in to get us here," Akridge said. "Not just this year, but in the years leading up to this. I always stress to our guys that they’re part of something bigger than themselves…we’ve had a lot of guys embrace their role this year to get us to this point and we’ve had a lot of guys step up after multiple injuries this year."
Habersham Central trailed 2-1 after the second inning but scored twice in the third on a steal of home and a RBI groundout. They blew it open in the fifth, with Spencer Frady singling in two runs and Kreed Barrett doubling in a pair of runs for a 9-3 lead.
Maverick Chitwood did the rest on the mound. Chitwood was in and out of trouble, allowing 12 hits. But he also got out of three bases-loaded jams, allowing just two runs and retiring 6 of the final 7 Spartans batters after they cut the lead to 9-5 in the sixth.
"Maverick did a phenomenal job for us," Akridge said. "He’s the epitome of a competitor and thrives in those situations."
Barrett, Frady, and Callum Spivey all drove in two runs for Habersham Central.
WAYNE COUNTY 1,
FLOWERY BRANCH 0
The Falcons were knocked out of the Class 4A playoffs in heartbreaking fashion on Wednesday.
Haddy Peel drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs, scoring the game’s only run.
It was a classic pitcher’s duel between Branch’s Javi Ojeda and Yellow Jackets’ Tate Altman. Ojeda had allowed just two hits until the seventh, when Wayne County’s Eli Grantham and Rowan Blanton opened the inning with singles.
Ojeda retired the next two batters before walking the next two, including Peel. Ojeda allowed just four hits but walked three and fanned five for the Falcons.
Only once, in the third, did Branch have two runners on base in a single inning.
Altman scattered four hits and struck out five in a complete-game effort.
Antonio De La Torre, Luke Stone, Parker Bourrie, and Riley Bourrie each had one hit for Flowery Branch.
BASEBALL 2nd ROUND PLAYOFF SCOREBOARD FOR Wednesday, April 30
Class 5A
Habersham Central 9, South Paulding 5 (Raiders win series, 2-1)
Class 4A
Wayne County 1, Flowery Branch 0 (Wayne Co. wins series, 2-1)
BASEBALL 2nd ROUND PLAYOFF SCOREBOARD FOR Tuesday, April 29
Class 6A
North Paulding 4-2, Buford 3-0 (North Paulding wins series, 2-0)
Class 5A
Habersham Central 7-0, South Paulding 3-3
Class 4A
St. Pius X 2-7, East Forsyth 1-2 (St. Pius wins series, 2-0)
Flowery Branch 2-1, Wayne County 0-9
