 | | | 5/17/2008 12:01:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article |  | Staff Photo: Benjamin Hager
Brookwood shortstop Jordan Erisman, right, turns a double play over Norcross’ Danal Slay (6) Friday at Brookwood during Game 3 of the Class AAAAA state playoff series. Brookwood beat the Blue Devils 7-2 and will face East Coweta in the quarterfinals. |
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Battle tested
Broncos defeat Devils in Game 3
By Will Hammock
Sports Editor
SNELLVILLE - For a baseball team that had a heavy heaping of dominating victories in its 25-game regular season, Brookwood is getting pretty good at the nail-biters, too.
The top-ranked Broncos are now 2-for-2 in the playoffs in Game 3s, defeating Norcross 7-2 in a Class AAAAA second-round game that was much closer than the final score.
After scraping ahead by a run in the fifth inning, ace Chase Hawkins came in to rescue the hosts and give starter Matt Adams a well-deserved victory. Brookwood (28-3) then added four insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth, advancing to a quarterfinal matchup Tuesday at East Coweta. Game 3 of that series is normally Wednesday, but the Broncos' graduation is on that day, which could make Game 3 switch to Thursday.
"It's good that it gives you that experience (of playing in a Game 3 situation)," Brookwood coach Rick Howard said of playing the nerve-racking decisive game in a best-of-three series. "Hopefully it's a blessing in disguise."
Norcross (21-10), after losing Game 1 9-0 on Wednesday, made the Broncos work for the series win, mainly because of pitching. Blue Devil starter Jacob Matthews gave his team another good effort in a four-inning outing.
But Adams (7-0) was a little better in five innings, even as his defense let him down. Brookwood made four errors behind him, and the two runs he allowed were unearned.
The left-hander struck out eight batters, including four of the first five he faced, and walked just one.
"(Adams) gained confidence by pitching to his defense (during the season)," Howard said. "The thing I'm most proud about is tonight we didn't play so well behind him, but he hung tough and stayed in there."
Hawkins, who threw a one-hitter in Game 1, returned Friday to finish off the Blue Devils. The Georgia signee entered with two runners on in the top of the sixth in relief of Michael Brown, who had walked two straight.
After giving up an infield single to load the bases, Hawkins got fellow UGA signee Tyler Maloof to chop one in front of the plate for the out. He threw only three pitches in the 1⁄3 of an inning, then threw 14 more to close Norcross out in the seventh.
It capped a three-game series where Brookwood pitchers gave up only 10 hits.
Seth Adkins was the offensive star for the Broncos, going 3-for-4 with a two-run homer, a double and three runs. It was the second game in the series that he was a hit away from the cycle - he had a homer, a double and a triple in Game 1.
He homered in the first inning in both Game 1 and Game 3, the latter homer giving his team an early 2-0 lead on Friday. But Norcross scrapped back with the help of Bronco errors, plating the tying run on an RBI double from Tyler Roach.
Brookwood twice loaded the bases against Matthews, but both times he got out of trouble. He exited in the fifth after giving up a leadoff double to Adkins, who was replaced by pinch-runner Wade Brogdon. Brogdon scored on consecutive wild pitches for a 3-2 lead.
Hawkins then got out of the sixth-inning jam, which was followed by four Bronco runs in the bottom half. Jon Robinson (2-for-3) started the inning with a double and Ross Heffley followed with an RBI single for a 4-2 lead.
Game 2 winner Taylor Rakes entered for Norcross and induced a double play, which plated another Bronco run. Then Hawkins did some damage with his bat, going the opposite way for a two-run double.
The big inning ended the momentum of Norcross' upset bid, but the Blue Devils still left knowing they pushed AAAAA's No. 1 team to the limit.
"We battled, we played as a team and we're going to lose as a team," Norcross coach Andy Collins said. "We had our chances obviously. I think that's what's great about this. Baseball's so funny. All you can do is create your chances and see what you can get.
"I thought our pitching was there against a team that 1 through 9 can really hit the ball."
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Saturday, August 02, 2008 
