Heritage pitcher Cole Wilcox takes a look at first before delivery Friday in the first game of a doubleheader against Central Carroll in Ringgold.RINGGOLD, Ga. - According to Major League Baseball draft prognosticators, Heritage High School senior pitcher Cole Wilcox is likely to be a first-round pick in just a few weeks.
After Friday's performance in the Generals' 11-2, 14-0 sweep of Central-Carroll in the first round of the GHSA Class AAAA state playoffs, he might lobby for a Shohei Ohtani-type dual role at the pro level.
The 6-foot-5 Wilcox (7-1) did his usual thing on the mound with a complete-game, six-hit, 11-strikeout performance in game one, but he also blasted a pair of three-run homers - one in each game - as the Generals (25-6) rolled into the second round. They will host North Oconee in a best-of-three series starting next Thursday.
"He can swing it a little bit," Heritage coach Eric Beagles said with a smile. "He's done a good job at the plate being patient because most people are careful with him. Today he got a couple of pitches he could drive, and he didn't miss them."
Game one Friday was 1-0 in the top of the third inning when the Lions (16-16) got a leadoff double from Austin Helton. A sacrifice had the tying run on third with one out, but Wilcox got a popup for the second out and struck out Dylan McKinney to end the threat.
The Generals batted around and score five runs on two hits, two walks and an error in the bottom half. Wilcox walked with the bases loaded for the first run, and Brody Campbell followed with a two-run single and Blake Bryan with a two-run double to give Wilcox more than enough support.
"It was big for Cole when they got a leadoff double there in a one-run game," Beagles said. "It was good to see him get out of that jam and good to see us make some plays behind us. He continues to do what he does on the mound, and to get him some offense to back him up was great."
Wilcox added insurance in the sixth with a three-run bomb to left, then started game two with another one to left-center and a quick 3-0 lead. It was part of a 4-for-4, four-RBI, four-run game.
"I just missed a few pitches early, but I started seeing the ball better and barrelled some up," said Wilcox, who signed with the University of Georgia this year after committing in 2015. "On the mound, I just had to make some better pitches. I was a little rusty since I haven't pitched since last Tuesday, but I started feeling better and helped get us a big win. Hopefully, since I'm back on schedule I can throw it a little better next week and we can keep rolling."
Heritage game two starter Tripp Church (7-0) showed no rust, allowing only an infield single over the first four innings and finishing with a five-inning shutout.
"Another great performance by Tripp, who has been doing that all year," Beagles said. "It was good to start with that explosive inning in game two. Everybody is going to rebound after seeing Cole, thinking they can go back to work, but Tripp has been up to the challenge all year."
Heritage put the game away in the third inning, sending 14 batters to the plate and scoring eight runs on eight hits and three Central errors. Nolan Letzgus knocked in two runs in the inning and finished the game with a pair of hits, as did Bryan.
Also Friday in Class AAAA, Northwest Whitfield split with LaGrange in Tunnel Hill, losing 5-1 in game one as the Grangers scored all five of their runs in the seventh inning, and winning 1-0 in game two on Hank Bearden's one-hit shutout. Game three is this morning at 11.
In Class AAA, Calhoun was on the short end of a pair of 5-3 games at Lovett. Davis Allen had four hits and two RBIs in the two games, while Brett Potts had four hits, an RBI and scored three runs.
In Class AA, Region 7 champion Dade County swept Oglethorpe County, 11-1 and 12-1. Greg Templeton and Harley Walker pitched complete games, striking out 11 and 12 batters, respectively. The Wolverines (20-6), who will host Heard County in the second round, had four RBIs from Carter Glenn and Noah Bone, while Templeton added four hits and two RBIs.
In Class A public, Trion downed Hawkinsville 14-1 as Cole Phillips hit two home runs, added a double and drove in seven runs. Game two is today at noon, with a third game to follow if necessary.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6296.