Grangers, Cavaliers set for second-round tests

Published 11:47 am Friday, May 5, 2017

By Kevin Eckleberry

kevin.eckleberry@lagrangenews.com

LAGRANGE – Mother Nature was the big winner on Thursday.

The Callaway and Troup baseball teams were supposed to return to the field for their second-round playoff matchups on Thursday, but the rain that came through the area forced the cancellation of those games.

Callaway and Troup, weather permitting, will be on the field today for doubleheaders, with the if-games set for Saturday.

LaGrange, in an effort to beat the rain, played on Wednesday and swept Northside to advance to the Class AAAA quarterfinals.

Callaway and Troup each won their first-round matchups a week ago, and they’ll look to keep it going today.

Callaway, which won the Region 5-AA championship before sweeping Chattooga County in the first round, will host Dodge County today at 4:30 p.m.

If they split the two games, a third and deciding game will be Saturay.

Dodge County, the number two team from Region 3-AA, swept Fitzgerald to reach the second round.

Callaway (23-8) has been rolling.

The Cavaliers were 5-7 after a 2-1 road loss to Troup, but they’ve only lost once since and will bring a 23-8 record into today’s doubleheader.

Last week, Callaway blasted Chattooga 11-1 in the first game before winning a 6-5 thriller to clinch the series.

Dodge County (22-7) swept Fitzgerald 4-0 and 17-2.

If Callaway beats Dodge County, it would return home for the quarterfinals to play either Banks County or Toombs County.

Troup (22-11), which needed three games to beat West Hall in the first round, will look to keep its season alive with a win over Hardaway (15-14), which won a Game 3 against Burke County to advance.

Troup, the champion of Region 5-AAAA, beat West Hall 1-0 in the first game before dropping the second game 4-3.

On Saturday, Troup clinched the series win with a 6-1 victory.

If Troup gets past Hardaway, its quarterfinal opponent would either be Heritage or Woodward Academy.

In GISA baseball, LaGrange Academy will be at home today for a state-playoff series.

LaGrange Academy and First Presbyterian will play a doubleheader at 2:30 p.m., and they’ll play another game on Saturday if needed.