Today’s games
Hebron Christian at Lakeview Academy, 4:30 p.m.
Walnut Grove at Dawson County, 5 p.m.
Riverside Military at Jefferson (doubleheader), 5 p.m.
Union County at East Jackson (doubleheader), 5 p.m.
Chestatee at White County, 5:30 p.m.
Commerce at Athens Christian, 5:30 p.m.
Tallulah Falls at Towns County, 5:30 p.m.
Johnson at West Forsyth, 5:55 p.m.
Gilmer at Lumpkin County, 5:55 p.m.
West Hall at East Hall, 5:55 p.m.
Lambert at Gainesville, 7 p.m.
The tail end of the high school baseball season has its way of turning a hardball junkie of a coach into a temporary math whiz.
As the regular season concludes today, plenty is left on the line for teams looking to improve their playoff draw. These coaches with a playoff berth hanging in the balance can rattle off the seeding criteria that come into effect, such as point differential and runs allowed against teams with a shared record.
Of course, every team headed to the playoffs wants to get to the next stage of the season on a high note. Union County, Lakeview Academy and White County can all still improve their playoff seed today.
The Warriors (18-6, 13-5) have played themselves into the possibility of earning the north subregion title in Region 7-AAA, despite a four-game losing skip that started when right-handed pitcher David Sosebee broke his non-throwing hand last month.
White County needs to beat Chestatee (12-11, 7-11) today, combined with a Creekview (18-7, 14-4) loss to Pickens (3-21, 2-16). White County owns the tie-breaker against Creekview.
“I’m just focused on beating Chestatee,” White County coach John Brown said. “They beat us pretty good earlier in the season.”
However, White County could finish as low as No. 4 to the playoffs from Region 7-AAA should Creekview win today. Lambert (No. 2 from the south subregion) holds the head-to-head edge against White County, and would earn the No. 3 seed to the playoffs.
The Longhorns (17-8, 14-4) visit region champion Gainesville (23-1, 18-0) for the regular season finale at Ivey-Watson Field.
The Panthers (16-7, 12-6 Region 8-AA), hoping to make the playoffs for the first time since 1995, can finish with the No. 3 seed with at least one win in a doubleheader today in Commerce against East Jackson (6-18, 4-14).
Should Union County lose both games, and Fannin County (14-8, 11-7) sweeps its doubleheader against Oglethorpe County, then the Rebels become the third seed.
“All we can do is focus on the game at hand,” Union County coach C.T. Hussion said.
For the Tigers (12-11, 10-8) to get into the playoffs, they need to finish tied with Union County in the subregion (Dawson County owns the tie-breaker edge with runs allowed in region play, 92-90), and need Fannin County to lose at Oglethorpe County.
Union County owns the tie-breaker against Fannin County.
In Region 8-A, Lakeview’s (17-6, 11-4) road to earning the No. 3 seed to the postseason is simple enough: they need to defeat Hebron Christian (22-2, 14-1), or hope that Commerce (11-12, 11-4) loses to Athens Christian (11-9, 9-6). The Lions hold the run differential edge between the two games they played against Commerce this season.
“Our team knows what is in front of them and want to win out,” Lakeview coach Deuce Roark said.
Meanwhile, Jefferson (20-3, 17-1 Region 8-AA) needs to win just one of two games today against Riverside Military (5-18, 3-14) to lock up its fourth straight region title.