Harlem baseball swept Dougherty in dominating fashion winning both Tuesday games by a score of 15-1 in the first round of the GHSA state playoffs.
A packed out stadium in Harlem couldn’t contain the excitement to watch playoff baseball for the first time since the Bulldogs progressed their way through their bracket en route to a Class AAA state championship last year — its first since 1986..
Harlem came out just as ready as its fans as the Bulldogs plated five runs on four hits in the first after holding Dougherty scoreless in the top half.
They added five more in the second, three in the third and two in the fourth to pick up the Game 1 win by mercy rule in the fifth inning.
Senior Caiden Coile got the start, going four innings holding the Trojans to just one run and a couple of hits. Sophomore Domenic Titus threw the fifth and final inning for the Bulldogs.
Harlem totaled 10 hits and six walks en route to its 15-run performance.
After the 30-minute break, the Bulldogs took the field as the visiting team, and they picked up right where they left off with three runs on one hit in the top of the first.
Though the score was the same, these games couldn’t have been different as the Bulldogs were held hitless and scoreless throughout the next three innings, finding themselves in the midst of a dogfight.
“We were focused, but we weren’t disciplined,” said coach Jimmie Lewis. “We were trying to yank and we were trying to hit a shot when we should’ve been trying to make contact, and I don’t mind telling you when we kept popping it up in the fourth inning I got a little nervous.”
The Bulldogs got back on track in the fifth as they scored five runs on three hits to stretch a 3-run game to an 8-0 advantage.
Dougherty answered with a run of its own, but it wouldn’t matter as Harlem blew it open with a 7-run top sixth inning, and it all started with a three-run double by Amerson Guy.
Senior Jeremiah Hamilton came on to pitch in the bottom half, striking out the side to give Harlem the first round clean sweep.
Of all players, Guy had the biggest day as he posted a five-hit performance throughout the series and toed the rubber in Game 2, throwing five innings and allowing only one hit.
“My teammates backed me up with their defense and getting hits when we needed them,” Guy said. “We had a great team win today. Things were close in the second one and Coach Lewis was getting a little mad at us, but we finally got hits when we needed to and scored runs.”
A team performance it was as the Bulldogs totalled 10 hits once again. They were also given 10 free passes. Harlem’s flawless defense in both games highlighted by error-free baseball.
Harlem now flips the page to its next opponent, Peach County (21-12), which defeated Savannah Country Day 5-3 Wednesday in a decisive Game 3 after both teams split the first two games of the first-round series.
Ask Lewis, and he believes his defending champion squad was going to face a stiff test no matter which team it drew.
“Next week ain’t gonna be easy,” Lewis said. “Savannah Country Day is always good and one of my buddies who is down there watching them said Peach County’s got a guy who is hell on wheels, so we are going to have to be ready.”
The series will begin on Monday, April 29 with a home doubleheader slated for a 5 p.m. first pitch.
