RINGGOLD, Ga. — Ringgold High School baseball fans will be treated to a rare sight today when the Tigers host Rutland in a Class AAA state quarterfinal series. Though Ringgold has made the playoffs numerous times in recent seasons, today’s 3 p.m. doubleheader is the first time since 1992 the tradition-rich program has hosted a postseason series.
“It’s nice to finally get one back home,” Ringgold coach Brent Tucker said. “We’ve been in the playoffs a bunch, but it seems like we’re always the No. 3 seed and it’s been tough to get one back here. I believe the school is excited. I hope I see Ringgold fans sitting on the visitors side. I want the entire city of Ringgold to come out.”
It took a bit of good fortune for the Tigers to end the long home drought. A third seed again this year after narrow regular-season losses to Region 6 top teams Cartersville and Carrollton, Ringgold gets to host because Rutland is a surprising fourth seed from Region 4. The Hurricanes (16-11) shocked top-seeded Worth County in round one and Troup in the second round.
“They’ve gotten hot at different times during the season, and they’ve done it again in the postseason,” Tucker said. They have three solid pitchers (Austin Torrey, Blake Shouse and David Canady), they’re scrappy and they get after it hard. Even though they are a surprise, it looks like they had one bad week at the end of the regular season and went from first to fourth, so they are a good team.”
While Rutland has cruised through two rounds, Ringgold (24-8) has had to win game threes on the road at 10th-ranked Creekview and fifth-ranked St. Pius X to make the quarterfinals. The Tigers’ depth played a key role in both deciding wins.