GISA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP NOTEBOOK: DWS pitchers tough in series sweep

MILLEDGEVILLE — Deerfield-Windsor pitchers Baylin Moore, Tanner Ford and Charles Crosby allowed just one run on 10 hits as the Knights swept a pair of games from Valwood in the Georgia Independent Schools Association Class AAA state championship series.

Moore allowed just three hits in a 10-0 five-inning victory in Game 1 Friday night, then Ford and Crosby combined to allow just a run on seven hits in the 3-1 victory on Saturday.

“All the pitchers came in ready to pound the strike zone,” Crosby said. “To give up just one run in 12 innings, that was great. We crippled their hitters by throwing strikes.”

Before the series, Deerfield-Windsor coach Jonathan Davis said in last weekend’s state semifinal victory over The Heritage School, the Knights had 17 three-ball counts.

“I don’t want to take anything from Heritage but we knew we were going to have to get the ball in the strike zone,” Davis said. “And we knew we needed to eliminate the three ball counts.”

More impressive may have been the pitching staff’s ability to work themselves out of jams with runners in scoring positions. Moore escaped two bases-loaded situations Friday. Valwood put runners in scoring position in every inning except for the first against Ford, but the senior continuously got himself out.

Crosby induced a ground ball out with runners at second and third in the seventh inning.

Logan plays factor

Deerfield-Windsor leadoff hitter Howell Logan didn’t record a hit in the series. But the outfielder played a key role in setting the tone in both games. In Game 1, he was hit by a pitch, then scored the series’ first run on John Samuel Shenker’s RBI single.

Then he had a similar start on Saturday, drawing a leadoff walk and scoring the first run on a wild pitch.

He finished 0 for 2 in the series but scored four runs, was walked twice and hit twice. His sacrifice bunt in the fourth inning moved Chandler Matthews into scoring position. Matthews later scored on Shenker’s RBI single to make it 3-0.

“Coach has always put a lot of emphasis on the leadoff man getting on,” Logan said. “So you go up there looking for that pitch. If it’s not there, you lay off.”

No credit

Davis wouldn’t take credit for the Knights’ second straight state title.

“There’s a lot of really good players to come through here,” the second-year coach said. “I just happened to come in as coach. It’s all about these kids.”

This and that

Deerfield-Windsor combined for 13 runs on 13 hits in the two-game sweep. … Crosby said he got the game’s final batter to ground out when he threw him a curveball. … Piedmont swept Flint River in the Class AA finals on Friday for their third straight state championship.