The White County High baseball team qualified for the state playoffs for the first time since 1990, with a 14-5 win against West Hall on Friday night in Oakwood.

With the win, the No. 4-seed Warriors (15-11, 13-9 Region 7-AAA) will visit Region 5-AAA champion and No. 4-ranked Dunwoody (19-5) in a best-of-three playoff series on May 9 in DeKalb County.

“We were very fortunate to get the chance to play for a spot in the playoffs,” White County coach John Brown said.

Davis Sosebee picked up the win for White County with five strikeouts in five innings on the mound.
Kevin Frederick led White County offensively with a three-run home run in the third inning. He finished the game 3-for-5 with four RBIs.

Zach Messmore added a two-run home run for the Warriors in the sixth inning, and was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBIs. Bart Westmoreland and Jesse Brown were each 2-for-5 with two runs scored for White County.

Travis Rutkiewicz was 2-for-4 with three RBIs for the Warriors. Adam Hooper had two hits for White County.

Brantley Gee pitched the final two innings in relief, and added a pair of doubles at the plate for the Warriors.

“It was a pretty exciting game,” Brown added. “We came out and played pretty well.”

Jefferson 7, Athens Academy 1

Lucas Redd went 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored to lead the Region 8-A champion Dragons past Athens Academy on Friday night in Athens.

Senior Cameron Blinn struck out five batters while surrendering only four hits to pick up the win for Jefferson (18-4).

Jefferson plays host to Trion during the first round of the Class A baseball playoffs on May 9.

Gilmer 7, East Hall 5

Wesley Johns and Tracey Gardner each went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI in the Vikings loss on Friday night in Ellijay.

Chris Cornett finished the game 2-for-3 with an RBI and picked up the loss on the mound for East Hall (10-16, 9-13 Region 7-AAA).

East Hall’s season is now complete.