GACS Baseball

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Barney Atwater" <bsatwater@hotmail.com>
Date:  Mon, 31 May 2004 23:24:33 -0400

SPARTAN SPAM eXTRA
May 31, 2004
_______________________________________________________________________

Tuesday, June 1st
2:00pm Bacon County at GACS; State AA baseball semifinals; 3rd game; GACS
field; $7

Wednesday, June 2nd
Rain day for State AA baseball playoffs, if necessary
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BASEBALL
Head coach Cliff Shelton

GAC FORCES SPLIT WITH BACON COUNTY
By LARRY HARTSTEIN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 5/31/04

William Bond hit two home runs in the final two innings as Greater Atlanta
Christian kept alive its hopes of reaching the state finals for the second
straight year with a 6-2 win over Bacon County on Monday in the Class AA
playoffs.

The Spartans, who fell to Vidalia in last year's final, used a late rally to
force the rubber game of the best-of-three series, to be played today
[Tuesday June 1] at 2 p.m. at GAC.

Bacon County designated hitter Sidney Spell cracked a seventh-inning solo
homer off Bond to give the visiting Red Raiders a 2-1 win in the opener.

GAC trailed 2-1 and was six outs away from elimination, but Bond smashed the
first pitch of the sixth inning over the left-field fence. Joseph Thomas
followed with a double to left-center and later scored from third base on a
sacrifice fly by Jason Cunningham for a 3-2 lead.

With one out in the opener, Spell hit a 3-2 offspeed pitch over the
left-center field fence. He knew it was gone as soon as he made contact, and
he raised his arms in triumph as he trotted to first.

The Spartans threatened in the bottom half. Pinch-hitter Cory Allen doubled
into the right-field corner with one out.

GAC sent in Matt Hahn to run for Allen.

When shortstop Micah Johnson followed with a looping liner to left, it
looked like the Spartans would tie the score.

But Bacon County left fielder Troy Taylor made a diving catch. Hahn was
already at third when the catch was made, giving the Red Raiders an easy
game-ending double play. Taylor threw to second; the visitors jumped for
joy.

Bond and Bacon pitcher Brody Starling matched each other all game. Each
allowed three hits. Bond fanned 12, Starling six.

GAC scored an unearned run in the second. With the bases loaded and one out,
Starling induced Landon Bennett to hit a comebacker.

But instead of throwing home, Starling turned and fired to second. The relay
to first was high, enabling Jason Cunningham to score.

Bacon County got the run back the next inning. After two walks, Justin
Waters hit an RBI single to center. It was the first run Bond had allowed
during the playoffs.

With runners on second and third in the first, GAC's Michael Handley hit a
shot up the middle. Shortstop Brock Miller made a diving stop, then nipped
Handley at first to end the inning.
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