The Gainesville High baseball team survived yet another three-game series in the state playoffs. Now the Red Elephants (28-3) are ready for Tuesday’s Class AAA state quarterfinal matchup against Thomson (24-4).
Gainesville’s doubleheader with the Bulldogs will begin with Game 1 at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, with Game 2 to follow 30 minutes after the first. If Game 3 is necessary, it would be played at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
In the first two rounds of the playoffs, it took all three games for Gainesville to advance. In the first round, the Red Elephants dropped Game 1 against Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe before winning the next two. Then in the second round, the Red Elephants dropped Game 2 against Dunwoody, before winning the decisive Game 3, 13-2.
Thomson hasn’t been pushed nearly as hard in the postseason. The Bulldogs have swept both a first-round series against LaGrange and then the second-round series against Cairo. Thomson’s only regular season losses in classification were both games against Richmond Hill.
If Gainesville advances to the state semifinals, and faces another No. 1 seed, the Red Elephants would once again have to play on the road due to the set up of the bracket.
ATLANTA BRAVES: The Braves are currently playing their best baseball to date this season, and start a pair of two-game series, starting with the New York Mets today. Then on Wednesday, the Cincinnati Reds visit Turner Field for a two-game set.
Today, Derek Lowe (5-3, 5.73) will throw for the Braves against New York’s Mike Pelfrey (4-1, 3.14 ERA). Lowe earned the win last Wednesday against the Milwaukee Brewers, throwing six innings and allowing two earned runs and six hits.
On Tuesday, Kris Medlen (1-1, 2.35) will throw against the Mets’ Johan Santana (3-2, 3.88). Medlen has appeared in 10 games for Atlanta this season, however his only win came on May 5 against the Washington Nationals when he pitched one inning in relief.
GWINNETT BRAVES: The Triple-A G-Braves will wrap up a four-game series against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs today, followed by a four-game series against the Columbus Knights at Coolray Field.