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The Winder-Barrow High School baseball team has already accomplished several goals this spring.

The Diamond Doggs have posted 20 wins and the team has secured a home playoff series. Now, the goals become a little loftier as Winder-Barrow.

(20-6) begins its quest for a state title when it hosts South Paulding in a best-of-three series beginning with a doubleheader Friday at 4 p.m. A third game, if necessary, will be Saturday at 2 p.m. [Full Story »] 

The Winder-Barrow High School baseball team defeated Salem 8-0 Thursday at Charles W. Maddox Complex.

Originally scheduled for Friday, the game was moved up a day due to a forecast of rain.

Travis Demeritte earned the win going all seven innings. Demeritte, Drew Dunagan and Patrick Overstreet all had homers. WBHS is now 18-4 overall and 13-3 in Region 8-AAAAA.

See Wednesday's print edition of the Barrow Journal for a complete report for the Diamond Doggs and all spring sports.

Winder-Barrow High School completed the season sweep of Apalachee High School Monday and knows it is now officially in the postseason.

The Bulldoggs, however, are still hoping to be able to move into second place and host a first-round state playoff series in coming weeks. For coach Brian Smith, the focus for his team will be to simply take care of their own business.

“We need to win our final two region games and then see where things stack up,” Smith said after Monday’s 7-2 win against region foe Apalachee. “We aren’t mathematically out of second place.” [Full Story »] 

After a victory against the No. 1-ranked team in the state Friday, the Winder-Barrow High School baseball team returned to the field Monday and took a 3-2 win against visiting Flowery Branch.

The game was close throughout and was not secured until the bottom of the seventh when Christian Hodge delivered the game-winning RBI allowing Cole Baggett to cross home.

Drew Dunagan improved his season record to 5-0 by working all seven innings throwing 94 pitches in the process. Dunagan recorded seven strikeouts and maintained his composure even after the Falcons took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth on a homer by Drew Miles.

Flowery Branch also benefited from a strong pitching effort from Brad Keller, who worked 6.1 innings. The Presbyterian College signee impressed WBHS coach Brian Smith.
“He’s legit,” Smith said after the game. “He really fought and we were finally able to get to him.” [Full Story »] 

One of the marquee regular season matchups arrives Wednesday (today) for the Winder-Barrow High School baseball team.

The Diamond Doggs will host No. 1-ranked Loganville Wednesday before playing the Red Devils in a rematch Friday on the road. Both games begin at 5:55 p.m.

Winder-Barrow coach Brian Smith knows it will be a challenge for his team, but he said he believes his players are ready for that challenge. [Full Story »] 

Last week’s region victory against Gainesville was a huge one for the Winder-Barrow High School baseball team.

However, despite entering this week 8-2 overall and 3-1 in Region 8-AAAAA, Bulldogg mentor Brian Smith is not about to let his team to satisfied with accomplishments to this point. There is simply too much left to accomplish this spring.

“Our lineup is still not clicking on all cylinders,” Smith said following a practice session Sunday afternoon. “In our practice today, we were very focused. We have to be prepared for each time we step on the field. Despite not having our entire lineup clicking at the plate, we are still doing well overall. Our work ethic has been great. We are always hungry for more success in all phases of the game. If we can hit like we are capable, then we are going to be a pretty tough team to handle.”

With the win against Gainesville last week along with a sweep of Heritage (11-4, 12-1), the Bulldoggs are in the thick of the region chase. After completing a series against Clarke Central Wednesday (today), WBHS will have a Friday-Monday series with Cedar Shoals before its key matchup with No. 1-ranked Loganville. [Full Story »] 

It’s still very early in the 2013 baseball season for the Winder-Barrow High School Diamond Doggs.

However, already the team has shown signs of another successful season on the playing field. WBHS was 3-0 entering this week, dispatching of non-region foes Dacula, Madison County and Franklin County. The wins weren’t necessarily easy in a couple of cases, but the bottom line is the team stood at 3-0 when it returned to work Monday and that’s saying something when you look at the bigger picture.

The Bulldoggs had to rally for a win against Dacula in the opener in less than desirable playing conditions. The team took a 10-0 win against Madison County Friday as Drew Dunagan fired a no-hitter through five innings. Several players contributed at the plate as the team recognized seniors Dunagan, Dalton Carter, Travis Demeritte, Grayson Ivey, Drew Davis, Hunter Lunn, Blake Marbut and Blake Oviedo. [Full Story »] 

The series did not go the way the Winder-Barrow High School players and coaches had hoped, but almost as soon as the final out was recorded, thoughts were on 2013.

WBHS was swept by visiting Forsyth Central Friday 4-1 and 6-2 in the opening-round of the Class AAAA state playoffs. Forsyth Central used a three-run seventh inning in the opener and a four-run first inning in the second contest to emerge with the series win.

The series overshadowed what had been another standout season for coach Brian Smith’s team. The Bulldoggs won 12 consecutive games at one points this season but fell in their final five. [Full Story »]