Baseball blog: Finals set with 5 defending champions, 4 seeking 1st titles

With one rain-delayed semifinal game remaining, the GHSA baseball championship series are almost set for Thursday through Tuesday at Coolray Field in Lawrenceville, AdventHealth Stadium in Rome and Clements Stadium in Statesboro.

On Wednesday, Mount Paran Christian plays at Appling County to decide the second Class 2A finalist. The winner will play No. 1-ranked North Cobb Christian, the defending champion.

Update: Appling County beat Mount Paran 8-7 on Wednesday, moving the Pirates into the 2A championship series.

North Cobb Christian is among five 2023 champions still playing. The others are Lowndes (Class 7A), Loganville (5A), Harlem (3A), Prince Avenue Christian (A Division I) and Charlton County (A Division II).

Five finalists have never won baseball championships. They are Grayson (7A), Cherokee Bluff (4A), Tallulah Falls (A Division I) and Lanier County (A Division II).

The eight championship series are played in a best-of-three-games format beginning with doubleheaders and ending with third games if necessary.

Here is the schedule:

Coolray Field, Lawrenceville

Thursday

5 p.m. – Class 5A: Loganville vs. Cartersville (doubleheader)

Friday

Noon – Class 5A: Loganville vs. Cartersville (if necessary)

5 p.m. – Class 7A: Grayson vs. Lowndes (doubleheader)

Saturday

Noon – Class 7A: Grayson vs. Lowndes (if necessary)

5 p.m. – Class 6A: Pope vs. Etowah (doubleheader)

Monday

7 p.m. – Class 6A: Pope vs. Etowah (if necessary)

AdventHealth Stadium, Rome

Friday

5 p.m. – Class 3A: Calvary Day vs. Harlem (doubleheader)

Saturday

Noon – Class 3A: Calvary Day vs. Harlem (if necessary)

5 p.m. – Class 4A: Cherokee Bluff vs. Starr’s Mill (doubleheader)

Monday

7 p.m. – Class 4A: Cherokee Bluff vs. Starr’s Mill (if necessary)

Clements Stadium, Statesboro

Friday

3 p.m. – Class A: Division I: Tallulah Falls vs. Prince Avenue Christian (doubleheader)

Saturday

TBD – Class A: Division I: Tallulah Falls vs. Prince Avenue Christian (if necessary)

5 p.m. – Class 1A: Division II: Lanier County vs. Charlton County (doubleheader)

Monday

Noon – Class 1A: Division II: Lanier County vs. Charlton County (if necessary)

5 p.m. – Class 2A: Appling County vs. North Cobb Christian (doubleheader)

Tuesday

6 p.m. – Class 2A: Appling County vs. North Cobb Christian (if necessary)

Get all the news about the Atlanta Braves delivered each morning. Sign up for Braves Report.