The Winder-Barrow High School baseball team ventured into enemy territory Friday but returned home as subregion champions.
Coach Brian Smith’s Diamond Doggs defeated Loganville High School, the No. 2-ranked team in Class AAAA, 4-3 on the Red Devils’ home field. Dalton Carter’s three-run homer in the top of the fifth inning gave WBHS a one-run lead which it would not relinquish. As a result, the Bulldoggs are Subregion A champions and have now guaranteed themselves a spot in the state playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.
LHS meanwhile is Subregion B champion and will meet WBHS at Charles W. Maddox Complex Thursday for the start of a best-of-three series beginning with game one at 4:30 p.m. Even if a third game is not needed, the two teams will play Friday at 5:55 p.m., also in Winder.
“Being subregion champions is just another one of our goals we have met,” Smith said. “This gives us home field advantage as we try to become region champions. Everything is just falling into place for us.”
Since starting the 2012 season 1-5, the Bulldoggs have now gone 16-1 with the lone loss coming to Flowery Branch April 9. In that game, WBHS led in the top of the seventh inning with one out before the Falcons rallied for a 6-3 win. The Bulldoggs are now 17-6 overall. Friday’s loss was the first against a region foe for Loganville High School. The two schools have developed a strong baseball rivalry in recent seasons.
“We took Saturday and today off after a busy week,” Smith said Sunday afternoon. “I told the team to enjoy it but we aren’t satisfied. This team enjoys competing and we are ready to play as hard as we can in this upcoming series.”
The WBHS coach said he and his players knew last Friday’s game at LHS would be a challenge.
Travis Demeritte, who had been used exclusively in relief this spring, got his first start of the season.
He went the distance Friday with 10 strikeouts and showed no signs whatsoever of the ankle injury which hampered him early in the season.
Carter led the Bulldogg offense with a 2-for-2 afternoon, including his key homerun. Grayson Ivey was also 2-for-2 and scored two runs. Demeritte also added a run for WBHS.
Looking ahead to this week’s region championship series, Smith said that he and his coaches would decide early this week in practice for a game on starter.
“We all wanted to sleep on it and then make the decision,” the Bulldogg coach said. “We will begin formulating our plans Monday and look for three good days of practice.”
Loganville High School coach Jeff Segars, who has led the Red Devils to state championship prominence in past seasons, said the keys to winning are relatively simple.
“I think the key for us is to throw strikes and play good defense,” Segars said. “Winder has a good offensive team so we don’t need to help them by putting guys on with walks or errors. Coach Smith has once again done a good job at Winder. Winder is always prepared and are fundamentally sound.”
