Baconton Charter Blazers Fall To Defending Champion Lanier County Bulldogs In Final Four

LAKELAND — Beneath the pressure of a packed Final Four crowd and against a dynasty chasing a third straight state championship, the Baconton Charter Blazers never blinked.

The No. 1-ranked and two-time defending state champion Lanier County Bulldogs eventually found just enough offense Wednesday afternoon, sweeping Baconton Charter 2-1 and 3-0 in the Class A Division I semifinals to advance to another state championship series.

But for seven innings at a time, the Blazers looked like they belonged on the same field as Georgia’s best program.

Baconton Charter’s season ended at 25-10, but the Blazers left Lakeland after the deepest playoff run in school history, proving their small South Georgia program belonged among the state’s elite.

“We just couldn’t string anything together,” Baconton Charter head coach Marc Logue said. “That’s what happens when you face really good pitching. Our guys played their butts off, but we just couldn’t get anything together.”

Lanier County (31-4) limited the Blazers to just two hits in each game behind a dominant pitching staff led by Georgia Southern signee Grant Gano.

Still, Baconton Charter made the Bulldogs earn every out.

Game one turned into a tense pitchers’ duel between Baconton Charter left-hander Daniel Cruz and Gano.

The Blazers struck first in the opening inning when Quinton Peterson drove in a run on a fielder’s choice. Lanier County answered in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Talen Tarbox, and the game stayed tied inning after inning as every pitch seemed to carry season-changing weight.

Cruz was outstanding, allowing just one run over six innings while striking out five. Sophomore shortstop Corbin Suggs moved to the mound in the seventh inning and nearly escaped trouble before Hayden Mullis lined a walk-off single to give Lanier County the 2-1 victory.

As Bulldogs players rushed onto the field in celebration, the Blazers quietly gathered near their dugout knowing they had pushed the state’s top-ranked team to the final inning.

The decisive play came on a diving effort in right field by Cruz after moving from the mound to the outfield.

“I knew our defense would hold up … and it did,” Logue said. “Just that one error at the end of game one, when our right fielder — Daniel Cruz — who had just left the pitching mound made a diving catch in right field. He caught the ball but it popped out of his glove when he dove.”

Gano struck out 14 batters in the opener while allowing only hits by Suggs and senior Hudson Coronati.

Game two brought another gritty performance from Coronati, one of only three seniors on Baconton Charter’s roster along with second baseman CJ Richardson and third baseman Colton Suggs.

Less than 48 hours after playing the final baseball game of their careers, the three seniors were scheduled to walk across the graduation stage Friday night after helping lead the Blazers to the greatest season in school history.

Coronati struck out 10 batters and battled Lanier County through seven innings, but the Bulldogs finally broke through in the fifth inning. Zach Lee drove in a run on a groundout before Gano blasted a two-run homer to right field for a 3-0 lead.

That proved enough for Lanier County starter Alex Contreras, who tossed a two-hit shutout with seven strikeouts.

Preston Hurst and Kayden Logue accounted for Baconton Charter’s only hits in the nightcap.

“I am really proud of our guys and the way they played,” Logue said. “I hate it for our seniors, but hats off to Lanier County. They earned it.”

For the first time, Baconton Charter arrived at Georgia’s baseball Final Four.

After Wednesday afternoon in Lakeland, the Blazers proved they belonged there.