Let the Playoffs Begin

Well Gwinnett County will be well represented in the state baseball playoffs. We have seven AAAAA teams in the tournament to go along with two AA/A teams. I will break down first the AAAAA teams and the matchups as I have seen all 8 teams that qualified including South Forsyth, who won region 7-AAAAA. Yes they are good. But the time i saw them, they were beatable. They got beat at Turner Field by Mill Creek. I really thought Mill Creek was the best team in the region and they came in fourth. That was amazing. They will have to go to South Gwinnett to play coach Steve Teschner's South Gwinnett Comets. This should be a great series. I hate to see either team lose. I will break it down. In game one it will probably be Matthew Grimes vs. Nick Blount on the mound. Blount throws hard and is an outstanding hitter while Grimes is a hard thrower that can mix it up. Watch for a tough 3-2 victory by South. Then Sean Handlan should battle Jake Adcock. Handlan is a great player that can give you a strong 5 innings with Kevin Caldwell coming in to sew it up. But i think Mill Creek bounces back to take a close 3-2 win and even the series at 1-1. That leaves Caldwell to start game three and I feel this might be where South comes out on top. Great first round matchup with South eeking out a 4-3 win to win the series 2-1.
In a matchup of 2 vs. 3 you got Parkview vs. North Gwinnett. This is a great series too and I think Wyatt Brown edges Parkview starter Zack Olsen in game one. And then in game two North squeezes by as well to win that series. Brandon Jacobs is pitched around for the most part and I feel the depth of the Bulldogs will prevail. The other 2 vs. 3 is Collins Hill vs. defending state champ Brookwood and Collins Hill beat them earlier this year 4-2. However, Brookwood improved and they are the defending champs. I love Collins Hill's team and I think it will go three games. That third game could be pivotal as Collins Hill is loaded with pitchers. That's where the defending champs should take it on the chin.
That leaves Grayson, the 4-seed battling No. 1 ranked South Forsyth. Well let's say they will go three games as well and as much as I hate it, that team is strong. South Forsyth in a squeeker. I hope I am wrong on that one. Good luck teams. We'll catch up to the rest of the county in the next blog. i am excited. As they say, "Let the Games Begin."