Houston County edges Woodward Academy, advances to semifinals against Pope; Westfield sweeps Brookwood in GIAA round one

Houston County’s two remaining teams live to play another series after Westfield and the Bears picked up wins over the weekend.

Houston County 8, Woodward Academy 7

After getting hit in the mouth in Game 1 and trailing most of Game 2, it appeared HoCo’s season was coming to an end on Friday.

But an electric come-from-behind win in Game 2, finished by a walk-off balk, gave the Bears a chance to advance and go back up to College Park on Saturday.

They made another dramatic comeback for an 8-7 victory and a semifinals berth.

Through the first five innings it was actually HoCo who led after jumping out to an early 3-0 lead behind Isaiah Galason’s and Kaiden Harvey’s RBI single and Peyton Nauss’ walk.

But with Myles Tate’s double to left field, Woodward Academy scored three runs and took a 6-4 lead into the seventh inning.

With a double from Noah Odom and two singles from Davian Hammonds and Tyson Ganas the Bears scored four runs to get back on top, holding off a comeback in the bottom with a 6-4 out to end the game.

Ryan Maxwell started Game 3, pitched five innings and recorded two earned runs and three walks to go with six strikeouts. Harvey pitched an inning in relief and gave up three earned runs, Raymond Byrd earned the save in the seventh and gave up one earned run.

The top of the bracket won the coin toss, so HoCo will host Pope for the first time since the 2018 quarterfinals. The doubleheader is scheduled to start on May 15 at 4:30 p.m. Game 3 will be on May 16 at 1 p.m.

Westfield

The Hornets handled their business in round one of the GIAA state tournament against Brookwood, winning 12-4 and 9-4 on Friday.

This is the first time Westfield baseball has made it out of the first round since 2023.

Brooks Bentley’s single and Win Hoots’ sacrifice fly put the Hornets up 3-1 in the second inning, where the score remained until Matt Molina and Brett Yawn drove home a run a piece.

Brookwood scored three runs in the sixth, but a seven-run explosion put the game away for Westfield. They batted 10-for-27 (.370) as a team and were led by Brock Johnson who was 2-for-3 for a double and home run.

Will Canterbury pitched 5.2 innings and tallied eight strikeouts to go with four earned runs. Brock Johnson pitched 0.1 innings for one strikeout and Carter Black finished the game with an inning for one walk.

Game 2 was locked in a scoreless stalemate through the first three innings, but Rhoades Bledsoe’s sacrifice fly put the first run on the board in the fourth and Blake Loden added two more with a single. Hoots’ triple scored another after Sexton scored on a wild pitch.

Westfield recorded an additional three in the fifth which the Warriors mirrored in the bottom, but there was no real danger of a comeback.

Cooper Kennedy pitched 4.2 innings, struck out four batters and recorded four walks and three earned runs. Black pitched 0.1 innings for a walk and a strikeout and Johnson pitched two with four strikeouts and a walk.

Next up the Hornets head to Valwood, the one-seed, on May 13 at 4 p.m. for the first game of the doubleheader.