Gordon Lee's Tucker Bradley runs to first before an errant throw from catcher Kyle Rosen allowed him to reach base safely Monday as Gordon Lee High School hosts Truetlen County in the first game of a double-header in the GHSA Class A baseball playoffs. Gordon Lee scored their first of six first-inning runs on the play.CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. - Gordon Lee will get another shot at a baseball state championship, and whichever team the Trojans face will have a lot to think about after seeing the scouting report from Monday's sweep of Treutlen County.
Gordon Lee (25-6) blasted the Vikings 10-2 in game one of the Class A public school semifinal doubleheader, scoring nine runs in the first two innings, then went the small-ball route to pull out a 4-2 win in game two.The Trojans await the winner of the Charlton County/Emmanuel County Institute series, which will have its deciding game today at 5 after a split Monday.
Gordon Lee will visit the winner of that series for a best-of-three series starting with a doubleheader Saturday.
"We came out first game swinging it," Trojans coach Mike Dunfee said. "To me, from the beginning of the year to now, the guys are buying in. We're getting better at-bats throughout the lineup, and we're being what I call patiently aggressive.
"In the second game, what won it were the bunts. We work on bunting a lot, and in that game we laid down some pretty ones. Earlier in the year I felt we had to do it, and though we've swung the bats better late in the year, we never stop practicing it."
After spotting the visitors a 2-0 lead in the top half of the first inning, the Trojans quickly gained momentum with a six-run bottom half, highlighted by Will Goodman's three-run homer. They made it 9-2 in the second on Conard Broom's two-run single and an RBI hit from Braxton Salmon.
Freshman left-hander Chaney Rogers, after walking three batters and hitting one in the first two innings, retired the Vikings in order in the next three innings before Goodman finished the game off.
The visitors in game two, the Trojans again jumped out quickly with three runs. Rogers walked and Tucker Bradley followed with a bunt single. Jake Rogers laid down a sacrifice bunt and the ball was thrown away at first, scoring Chaney Rogers. After a walk, Broom grounded into a double play, with Bradley scoring, and moments later Jake Rogers scored on a wild pitch. A Goodman single, another bunt hit by Zack Cobb and Bradley's sacrifice fly made it 4-0 in the second.
Gordon Lee ace Broom, staked to the early lead, battled wildness early, but after walking four batters he left five runners on base in the first two innings. The Vikings made finally got to him with Brad Cammack's two-run homer in the fifth and had the tying runs in scoring position in the sixth before the Trojans' defense stole the show.
Cammack hit a low liner that Gordon Lee second baseman Sean Coakley dove to catch to end the threat, and in the seventh he did the same to Powell for the first out. Bradley followed with a running catch of Cameron Buddy's long fly to center before Broom got a groundout to end the series.
"Defensively, Sean Coakley made some nice plays and has done an outstanding job since we moved him into the lineup at second base," Dunfee said. "The whole defense today, as they've done most of the year, was outstanding, and our pitchers know that even if they're not getting some calls all they have to do is pitch to contact and our guys will make the plays behind them."
Bradley doesn't care which team the Trojans will face, though he wouldn't mind getting a measure of revenge on Charlton County, which defeated Gordon Lee in three games in last year's title series.
"We've got a bitter taste in our mouths from last year, so hopefully we can get one more series," he said. "Whatever it takes. We would like to get another shot at Charlton, but we'll be ready in either case."
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296.