The Raiders were routed 15-0 and 9-3 in a two-game sweep by the Red Elephants in the second round of the Class AAA playoffs Wednesday at Ivey-Watson Field.
In four games at Ivey-Watson Field this season against West Laurens, Gainesville pitched three shut outs and outscored West Laurens 50-3.
Second-ranked Gainesville (29-0) moves on to the quarterfinals against the winner of the Carrollton-Spalding series next week. That series was rained out on Wednesday and is scheduled to begin Thursday with a doubleheader.
If Spalding wins, the Red Elephants will travel to Griffin. If Carrollton wins, the Trojans will travel to Ivey-Watson.
Gainesville coach Jeremy Kemp said he was proud of how his group came out focused against a team they had dominated earlier in the season.
"I worry about everything," Kemp said. "You worry about looking past someone you've beaten before. But I thought the guys were very focused on what they needed to do. That is a much better team than people know. They went to the Elite 8 two years ago and the Sweet 16 last year. They can play."
Kemp said they will now have time to scout their next opponent, which could be a key to the Elephants advancing to the semifinals for the first time since 2002.
"They got to see us today and we'll go watch them (Friday)," Kemp said. "But to be honest it really is more of a help to our pitchers, who get an extra day of rest. That could be a big factor."
Gainesville started quick in Game 1 with Hunter Anglin and David Gonzalez getting RBI hits for a 2-0 lead. The Elephants added three runs in the second, three more in the third, and then exploded for seven in the fourth, capped by a two-run double from Gonzalez to invoke the mercy rule
Gonzalez finished with three hits and four RBI and also was the winning pitcher surrendering just one hit while fanning seven in four innings.
"David was in the groove in the first game on the mound and at the plate. That was fun to watch," Kemp said.
West Laurens Game 1 starter Tyler Green had a rough outing allowing eight runs on 11 hits in 2 2/3 innings. But, he was literally knocked out of the game after getting hit in the face on a line drive in the third inning. He also got hit in the leg in the first inning. He was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center for observation after walking off the field under his own power.
In Game 2, Gainesville again started quick when Stephen Mason doubled and later scored on an infield hit by Anglin for a 1-0 lead. The Raiders scored their first run of the year against Gainesville in the bottom of the first on a solo home run by Dustin Fowler to tie the game.
But the Elephants reclaimed the lead for good in the second on a solo homer by Caleb Whitenton for a 2-1 lead. Luke Moore would walk and then move to third on a double by Sims Griffith. Mason would push the lead to 4-1 on a two-run single and then later score on a wild pitch.
Gainesville continued to pound West Laurens pitching in the third. Anglin led off with a double and scored on a three-base error on a Gonzalez drive to right field. Gonzalez would then come home on a two-run, laser-beam home run by Gettys for an 8-1 lead.
West Laurens closed the gap to 8-3 in the bottom of the third on a RBI hit by Cam Smith and a sacrifice fly by Dustin Fowler that turned into a double play when they caught Smith off second base. Gainesville added a run in the fourth on a pair of walks and a wild pitch scoring Skyler Weber.
In Game 2, Michael Gettys picked up the win going four innings yielding three runs on four hits. Hunter Anglin earned his sixth save of the season pitching the final three innings allowing just two hits and striking out five.
Mason finished with two hits, two RBI, and scored twice to lead the offense.
The Elephants last advanced to the Elite 8 in 2010 but were swept out of the playoffs by Thomson.
-- NOTE: Buford's second-round doubleheader at Morgan County was rained out on Wednesday and will resume on Thursday, beginning with a doubleheader at 3:30 p.m. Game 3, if necessary, will begin at 6 p.m. Friday.
Gainesville's David Gonzalez walks off the mound during the Red Elephants' Game 1 win of their second round series sweep West Laurens on Wednesday in Gainesville.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2012/5/248429