ADEL — Cook High’s baseball team returns to the diamond today for the state semifinals.
The Hornets (29-5) host Dublin (24-9) at 4 p.m. today at Bruce Long Field in the Class AA state semifinals. Game 2 will follow afterwards, with an if-necessary game 3 to be played on Tuesday.
The winner of the Cook-Dublin series will face the Westminster-Lovett winner for the state championship on Friday.
Only four AA teams are still playing baseball, and Cook is pleased to be one of them.
“We’re glad to still be playing,” Cook head coach Bob Owsley said.
Last week, Dublin advanced to the semifinals with a two-game sweep of Calhoun, a team that had lost just twice all season. The Fighting Irish finished second in Region 3B-AA, behind Toombs County, the team Cook beat in three games in the second round. Owsley expects the Dublin team to be another tough opponent.
“It’s a major challenge,” he said. “They’re very sound defensively. Their pitchers are in the mid-80s, with good off-speed (pitches). They play small ball. Their third baseman is supposed to be one of the finest in the state. They’re pretty solid all around.”
In last week’s quarterfinals, Cook survived a tight three-game series with Blessed Trinity. The Hornets won the first game 5-0, behind a 15-strikeout, no-run performance from D.J. Johnson, but dropped game 2 by the same 5-0 score. Cook then advanced with a 7-5 win in game 3. Kaleb Cowart hit a fifth-inning home run to give the Hornets the lead, and Johnson got the final five outs to close out the victory in relief of winning pitcher Josh Barks.
Owsley is proud of his team, which is made up primarily of underclassmen. The Hornets went 23-3 in the regular season, including 14-0 in Region 1-AA play, and are competing in the semifinals for the second consecutive season.
Johnson and Cowart will throw the first two games, like they have each of the first three rounds. Owsley said he wouldn’t decide which one would start game 1 until today.
Cook and Dublin might have to fight the weather today. Rain has fallen on South Georgia nearly every day the past week. On Sunday night, Bruce Long Field was ready for play, but there was a 40 percent chance of rain on Monday. Other schools, including Valdosta High and Lowndes High, have offered the use of their fields if heavy rains mess up Cook’s field again. But Owsley says the Hornets will do everything they can to get the games played on their home field, and played today.
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Cook hosts Dublin in state semifinals today
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