Central Georgia Sports ReportMay 30, 2025Comment

Friday’s Report: GIAA/Gatewood & FPD, Bacon, Russell Henley, Westside’s Reeves, Georgia College; UGA, Braves/Sale/Smith-Shawver, Falcons, regionals; SEC, NBA, MLB, NHL, NCAA/colleges, NFL, golf

Central Georgia Sports ReportMay 30, 2025Comment

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High School
⚾ ⚾ ⚾ Baseball ⚾ ⚾ ⚾
GIAA Championship
Class AAAA

Brookstone 9, FPD 3

The hometown Cougars put up six runs in the top of the ninth to take down FPD in the opener, which ended at nearly 1:15 a.m.

The Vikings were retired in order in 10 pitches in the bottom half. The teams will play the second game in the best-of-three series at 7 p.m. – weather again permitting – on Friday at Synovus Park in Columbus.

FPD is a collection of mighty good and hard-working baseball players, but veteran head coach Greg Moore is dazzled by more than the skills

Keon Johnson, FPD’s third pitcher of the night, got the loss after coming on in the sixth. Winning pitcher and reliever Brennan Neal threw 38 pitches – 30 strikes - in three innings.

Brookstone got the leadoff batter on in the top of the seventh, but got a double play four pitches later.

The Cougars brought on Brennan Neal in relief of Chanwoo Kim, and he got the Vikings out in order, sending the game into extra innings around 12:35 a.m.

Brookstone (27-6) got its first two batters on in the ninth, on a walk and bunt single, and they advanced on a sacrifice. The Cougars took the lead a pitch later on an infield single.

A bunt single and error, then a single and double made it 7-3. After the second out, two more came in on a single to left for a 9-3 Brookstone lead.

FPD (31-4) went up 2-0 in the third on a walk to Keon Johnson and error on a pickoff throw, then Brady McHugh’s single. Tinsley Lewis reached on an error, and McHugh scored on Grant Martin’s single.

The Vikings stifled a threat in the fourth with a one-out pickoff followed by a groundout.

Brookstone tied it with two in the fifth on two singles and a double, and then a intentional walk and reglar walk with the bases loaded.

The Vikings re-took the lead in the bottom half no McHugh’s single, a sacrifice, wild pitch, and Wyatt Waters’ sacrifice fly.

Strandmark went 117 pitches before giving way to McHugh in the top of the sixth with a 3-2 lead. A walk, a strikeout, and run-scoring double followed to tie it, McHugh giving way to shortstop and unofficial closer Keon Johnson, who followed a single with two outs to end the rally.

FPD wasted a leadoff walk in the bottom of the sixth. Brookstone followed a single to open the seventh with a double play, and FPD went down in order in the seventh.

McHugh had 3 hits and Johnson 2 for the Vikings.

Class AA

Gatewood 8, Southwest Georgia 1

A four-run double put the Gators in control en route to the series-opening win, Wilson Moore throwing a complete-game no-hitter.

Hunter Johnson went 3 for 3 with 3 runs from the leadoff spot, Ames Johnson adding 2 hits and 2 RBI from the No. 2 slot. Walker Roberts and freshman Brady Haley each had 2 hits, Roberts joining Ames Johnson with homers.

Moore, a senior, fanned 7 and walked 6 on 102 pitches, Southwest Georgia breaking the shutout in the top of the seventh on four walks.

The Gators got single runs in the first and third innings, and dealt a body blow with 2 in the fourth with Ames Johnson’s two-run, two-out homer.

⚾ ⚾ ⚾Baseball⚾ ⚾ ⚾
Coastal Plain

Forest City 12, Macon 2

The Bacon scored twice – on two walks and a throwing error in the first inning - but got no hits in the odd season opener. Macon’s home opener is Friday night.

Pro

⚾ ⚾ ⚾MLB ⚾ ⚾ ⚾

Philadelphia 5, Atlanta 4; Atlanta 9, Philadelphia 3

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Around/About Central Georgia

Nice round for Henley crumbles late

For 13 holes, it appeared Russell Henley was back on track after some reason struggled.

But then he bogeyed three of the final five holes for a 2-over finish and a tie for 31st at the Memorial in Dublin, Ohio.

Henley snuck in a birdie on No. 6 in a par-filled start. A three-putt on 14 dropped him to even. He went from fairway to bunker on 17, and from fairway to intermediate on 18, missing a 9-footer for par.

He’s not off to a good start in many categories, ranking an uncharacteristic tie for 47th in driving accuracy and tied for 31st in shots gained, 29th in putting, and tied for 25th in greens in regulation.

Henley tees off at 10:30 a.m. with Keegan Bradley.

Alumni Update

Westside’s Reeves gets another year at Georgia Tech

Honor Roll

Georgia College’s Smith, Wilson(West Laurens) named to ABCA All-Southeast first team

Around/About Georgia

Revealing Q&A with Georgia AD Brooks

Marchán leads Harper-less Phillies over Braves 5-4 in doubleheader opener for 23rd win in 29 games

Sale the fastest to 2,500 K's

Smith-Shawver (elbow) placed on IL: 'It doesn't look good'

Sugiura: Forget about the Falcons roster. Morris needs to be a better coach.

Atlanta Mailbox: Analyzing the opportunity cost and comparative advantage of extending Allgeier