GHSA Playoffs: Baconton Charter, Bowdon Head to Winner-Take-All Game 3

BOWDON — Seven innings from elimination, the Baconton Charter School Blazers are still standing.

But now, there’s no margin left.

After splitting a Wednesday doubleheader against Bowdon High School in the GHSA Class A Division II Sweet 16, Baconton Charter will play a winner-take-all Game 3 on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. with a trip to the Elite Eight — and a chance to host the next round — on the line.

Win, and the season continues.

Lose, and it’s over.

“It’s going to be a tough game,” Baconton Charter head coach Marc Logue said. “We’re going to throw Corbin Suggs. I’m not sure who they’ll throw. But I was really proud of our guys today.”

The Blazers (19-8) earned that opportunity with a strong showing in the opener, riding a breakout performance from Victor Esquivel and a dominant outing from Hudson Coronati to a 5-2 victory.

Esquivel delivered the biggest swing of his career in the fourth inning, launching a three-run home run to left field — his first varsity homer — to give Baconton Charter a lead it would not surrender.

“Victor’s home run was really special,” Logue said.

Esquivel had already made his presence felt earlier, driving in a run with a double in the second inning as the Blazers erased an early deficit.

Bowdon struck first with a solo homer in the bottom of the first, but Baconton Charter responded quickly. Esquivel’s RBI double and a Red Devils error tied the game before his fourth-inning blast broke it open.

From there, Coronati took over.

The right-hander went the distance, allowing just two hits and two runs over seven innings while striking out nine and walking one. Behind him, the Blazers played clean, error-free baseball, with Preston Hurst leading the defensive effort.

But the momentum didn’t last.

The second game turned into a tense, scoreless battle that felt like it could swing the series with a single mistake.

Baconton Charter’s Daniel Cruz matched Bowdon’s starter inning for inning, delivering his first complete game of the season and keeping the Blazers in position.

But with no room for error, the Red Devils finally broke through.

Bowdon pushed across a run in the sixth inning, then added another in the seventh — just enough to even the series and force a decisive third game.

“I wish we could have put something together in that second game, but we just weren’t able to,” Logue said. “Their pitcher was really strong, and we just couldn’t get the hits we needed.”

So now, everything resets.

The Blazers spent Wednesday night in a northeast Georgia hotel, knowing the season they’ve built will come down to seven innings — or maybe more.

They’ll hand the ball to Suggs on Thursday afternoon with everything at stake.

One game.

One more chance.

By the end of the day, Baconton Charter will either be moving on — or packing up for the final time.