Thanks to a pair of strong pitching performances and solid defense by Harlem’s hurlers, the Bulldogs earned the right to defend its 2023 Class AAA state championship by defeating Oconee County 6-1 and 5-3 in a best 2-out-of-3 series in the state semifinals Friday night at Harlem.
In game one it was Amerson Guy pitching a complete game, one-hit performance that allowed Harlem to give up just one run during the top of the third. Guy surrendered just one hit and showed his typical solid form.
Oconee put up a stiffer challenge in the decisive Game 2. Both teams played to a scoreless tie until the third inning showcased all the offensive firepower.
Harlem scored three in the top half of the third only to have Oconee respond by chopping the lead down to 3-2, thanks to a 2-run bottom half.
From there, the game turned into a bit of a defensive stalemate as pitcher Caiden Coile did enough on the mound — with support from Harlem’s defense — and the Bulldogs added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh inning to help the them stave off the Warriors’ best attempts to force a Saturday Game 3 while punching their ticket to the Class AAA state title series at AdventHealth Stadium in Rome, starting Friday May 17.
In that series, Harlem will meet the winner of the Mary Persons-Calvary Day series, which will wrap up in a decisive Game 3 on Saturday at 4 p.m. Mary Persons won the first game Friday evening 4-3, then dropped the second contest 12-1.
MORE LOCAL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP ACTION
Harlem baseball isn’t the only CSRA team set to try and win another state crown during the spring sports season.
While the Aquinas girls soccer team knocked off Lake Oconee Academy 2-1 Tuesday to capture the Class A Division II state title, both Westminster Schools of Augusta girls and boys soccer squads will head to Macon Saturday to compete for Georgia Independent Athletic Association state titles.
The Lady Wildcats (15-4-1) will meet Frederica Academy (12-3-1) at 5 p.m. while the Westminster boys (18-1-2) will follow them up with a 7:30 p.m. championship match with Holy Spirit Prep (16-1-1).
The Westminster girls have played arguably some of the best soccer in the area, including the aforementioned GHSA Class A-II champs from Aquinas. Westminster owns several impressive wins and close finishes against GHSA teams from the CSRA, including a 9-3 win over Aquinas back on March 7.
TENNIS TITLE TOWN?
Meanwhile, on the tennis court, the Aquinas boys and Lakeside girls tennis squads are hoping to bring home state championship trophies Saturday in their respective classifications.
Aquinas will face Seminole County Saturday at 1 p.m. while Lakeside will take on Marist at 9 a.m. Saturday. All GHSA state championship matches will take place at the Rome Tennis Center at Berry College in Rome, Georgia.
For the Aquinas boys, it would be the program’s first state championship since the Fightin’ Irish won it all in 1988. The Lakeside girls will also be looking for its second state crown in program history. The Panthers last won it all when it captured the Class AAAAA state title in 2013.
