By Kevin Eckleberry

kevin.eckleberry@lagrangenews.com

LAGRANGE – When the state baseball tournament begins next week, Troup, LaGrange, Cartersville and Cedartown will represent Region 5-AAAA.

Where those teams will be seeded for their respective first-round state playoff series remains to be seen, though.

Each of those teams has two region games remaining this week as they look to either maintain, or improve their position in the standings.

The Troup Tigers (17-10 overall) are 8-2 in the region, and they’re alone in first place.

LaGrange (17-11 overall) and Cartersville (21-7) are tied for second place in the region with 7-3 records, and Cedartown (19-5) is 7-4.

Troup can wrap up the region championship if it beats Cartersville today.

If Troup loses, then there’s a chance there could be a three-way tie for first when the regular season ends, and seeding will be determined by the tiebreaker criteria.

Sandy Creek (3-7), Central-Carroll (3-8) and Chapel Hill (1-9) have been eliminated from playoff consideration.

Troup is in this position thanks in part to its 1-0 victory over Cartersville on March 24.

Troup also has two critical wins over LaGrange, including last week’s 3-2 win in nine innings.

Colby Williams, who’ll likely be on the mound today, went the distance in both games against LaGrange, as well as the game against Cartersville.

Troup wraps up its region schedule with Thursday’s game at Sandy Creek.

LaGrange entered last week in first place, but it dropped back after losing to Troup and Cartersville.

LaGrange still has a chance to win the region title, or at least finish second to secure a home playoff series.

LaGrange is at home against Sandy Creek today before visiting Chapel Hill on Thursday.

Cartersville has region games remaining against Troup and Central-Carroll, and Cedartown’s lone region game remaining is against Chapel Hill.

REGION 5-AAAA STANDINGS

Overall record first, followed by region record

Troup                               17-10, 8-2

LaGrange                        17-11, 7-3

Cartersville                      21-7, 7-3

Cedartown                      19-5, 7-4

Sandy Creek                   16-12, 3-7

Central                               9-17, 3-8

Chapel Hill                       9-18, 1-9