Baseball: GHS sweeps way into first Final Four since '02

GAINESVILLE -- The current Gainesville baseball team may not have the star power of Micah Owings and John Carroll, but they are starting to resemble that 2002 team, the last Red Elephants squad to win the state title.

Gainesville displayed dominant starting pitching and timely hitting in taking a sweep of Carrollton Tuesday in the quarterfinals of the Class AAA playoffs at Ivey-Watson Field.

David Gonzalez allowed no earned runs and scattered five hits while fanning four in an 11-1 Game 1 win in six innings. Michael Gettys followed with a five-hitter in a 12-1 win in five innings in Game 2 to clinch the best-of-three series.

Their performances mirror those of Owings and Carroll, who dominated Class AAA 10 years ago on the way to the title. Owings would set the Georgia single-season record for home runs that year and led a outstanding Gainesville offense.

The offense did its part pounding out 25 hits in the two games, including seven home runs. A nine-run explosion in the fifth inning of Game 1 set the tone for a 12-hit outburst in Game 2, including a seven-run second to blow the game open.

Gainesville (31-0) moves into the semifinals for the first time since 2002 and will take on the winner of the LaGrange-Ringgold series next Monday at Ivey-Watson Field. Ringgold took an 8-2 win in the first game of their best-of-three series.

Gainesville coach Jeremy Kemp called it their most complete effort of the season.

"Probably when you consider how good that team is," Kemp said. "I felt like we could score some runs but I didn't think we would do what we did. It was fun to watch, especially the six home runs in the second game. You don't see that very often."

Besides getting the win in Game 2, Gettys had one of the biggest days of any Gainesville batter in recent memory. The sophomore had four hits in the series, including a home run and two triples, knocked in four runs, and scored four times in just seven plate appearances.

"Michael was huge for us in the first game and Hunter (Anglin) was big in the second game," Kemp said of Gettys and the offense as a whole. "The guys did a great job of getting quality at-bats."

While whispers of comparisons to the 2002 team have been heard lately, Kemp said they are not there yet.

"It's nice to be mentioned with that group but they have something we don't," he said. "I feel like we have a team that can win it all but we still have a long ways to go. No matter who we face next it will be tough. The final eight teams in Class AAA are the best group of eight teams in a long time. Anyone can still win it."

In Game 1, both pitchers battled through some first inning jitters. Gonzalez walked the lead-off batter but was helped out by a double play on a ground ball to end the inning. Carrollton's Davis Marler walked Ryan Griffith and then Anglin singled to right with two outs to put runners on the corners. But Gonzalez lined to right field to end the threat.

Both pitchers then settled down in the middle innings. Gonzalez retired 10-of-13 batters into the fourth inning while Marler retired seven of nine, including three consecutive strike outs.

The Elephants had chances early on getting two runners to second base but stranded five through the first three innings. Carrollton had five base runners through the first four innings but hit into two double plays and had one thrown out trying to steal second.

Gainesville finally broke through in the fifth when Gettys tripled to lead off the inning. Trojans' right fielder Andrew Turner made a diving attempt but missed and had to leave the game after injuring his shoulder. After a five minute delay, Caleb Whitenton bounced the first pitch over the third baseman for an RBI single scoring Gettys for a 1-0 lead.

"I felt cheated my first at-bat and just wanted to do something to us going," Gettys said. "I felt good at the plate all day after that. I'm just glad I was able to help us win."

Carrollton (19-14) answered right back in the top of the fifth with an unearned run. Gonzalez retired the first two batters but Wil Garrett singled on a 0-2 pitch, moved to second on an error, and then scored on a single by Dallas Dickey to tie the game.

The Red Elephants exploded for nine runs in the bottom of the fifth. They loaded the bases with one out and then Gettys smacked his second consecutive triple down the right field line to clear the bases for a 4-1 lead. Gettys would score two batters later on a single by Luke Moore knocking Marler, who will be pitching at West Point next spring, out of the game. The Elephants loaded the bases again and then Skylar Weber, following a wild pitch that scored one run, belted a long three-run home run to right for a 10-1 lead.

Marler allowed seven runs on eight hits, walked four, and struck out four in just 4 1/3 innings. Gainesville battered two more Carrollton pitchers for four runs on five hits in just one inning of work.

Ryan Pitts would end the game in the sixth with an RBI infield hit scoring Gettys, who doubled with one out and moved to third with one out on a wild pitch.

In Game 2, the Gainesville bats got going early. Ryan Griffith stroked a two-out double to left and then Anglin followed with a two-run home run to left for a 2-0 lead just four batters into the game.

The Elephants played more long ball in the second. Gettys led off with a solo home run. Five batters later Weber blasted a three-run home run for a 7-0 lead chasing Carrollton's No. 1 starter Chris Hicks after just 1 1/3 innings. Two batters later Anglin added his second home run of the game, another two-run shot for a 9-0 lead.

Carrollton threatened to get back in the game in the bottom of the second inning loading the bases with no one out. Dallas Dickey drove in one run with a long single but Gettys was able to get out of the inning with a strike out and then a double play grounder to end the inning.

In the second bizarre play of the day, Gainesville's Luke Moore was awarded an inside-the-park home run in the third when Carrollton right fielder Taylor Finleyson appeared to make a diving catch but slammed into the wall head first. He hit the ground and teammates came running to his aid.

Meanwhile, Moore continued to round the bases and after a conference the umpires said he dropped the ball and Moore got credit for the home run. Finleyson walked off under his own power after a five minute delay but did not return to the game.

Moore provided the game-winner on a traditional home run in his next at-bat in the fifth on a long shot to center for an 11-1 lead. Anglin pitched the final inning fanning two of the four batters he faced to seal the win and the series.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2012/5/248675