ATLANTA — For the first time in 21 years, Ringgold has advanced to the third round of the Georgia state baseball tournament. The Tigers rallied twice Thursday in pulling out a 9-7 victory over St. Pius X in the deciding third game of the Class AAA series at Oglethorpe University.
Austin Parrish’s two-out, bases-loaded double in the seventh inning broke a 7-7 tie.
Class AAA series at Oglethorpe UniversityRINGGOLD-9, ST. PIUS X-7Ringgold 200 401 2 — 9 10 5St. Pius X 400 003 0 — 7 9 2WP: Matthew Crownover (9-4). LP: Mabini. HR: Colton Cross, Erik Hull (R). 2B: Austin Parrish, Hull (R); Avant (SP). Other highlights: Corey Kafka 3-4; Hull 2-4 (R). Record: Ringgold 24-8.
“We’ve gone on the road and beaten two state-ranked teams with state playoffs experience,” Tigers coach Brent Tucker said. “We went into the playoffs with a lot of sophomores and juniors who didn’t have much playoff experience, but they just keep finding ways. Every time we got down we had an answer.”
Wright Hackett had a two-out RBI single and Colton Cross and Erik Hull hit home runs for Ringgold (24-8), and Corey Kafka was 3-for-4. Matthew Crownover earned the pitching win in relief.
The Tigers will host Rutland High in a third-round best-of-three series Tuesday.