Landmark Christian War Eagles (20-6) vs. Athens Christian Eagles (16-7), 3:30/6:30 p.m.

Seniors Michael Leonard and Luke Griffith started the scoring for the War Eagles in their 13-3 game one victory over Wilkinson County last Friday, but it was junior Tanner Bryant’s two two-run home runs that loomed large in the win. The War Eagles also got a solid pitching performance from Jonathan Roberts in relief of Leonard. Landmark shut out the Warriors 13-0 in the second game.

Landmark is 4-1 over their last five games and has outscored its opponents 55-11 in that span. Its wins over the Warriors were its 10th and 11th double-digit victories this season.

Athens Christian has gone 5-5 over its last 10 games, but has won three in a row. The Eagles defeated Bowdon in two games to reach the second round of the Class A playoffs, winning the first game 6-4 and following it with a 13-7 win. Athens Christian has scored 190 runs this season and has allowed 89.

These two teams last met in March of 2007 and Landmark Christian won 10-1.

The winner of this series will take on the winner of Lanier County and Schley County.

Starr’s Mill Panthers (19-9) @ Lee County Trojans (20-8) 4:30/7:30 p.m.

Clutch hitting carried the Panthers in their first game of the state playoffs. Starr’s Mill scored all but three of its 10 runs against Northside Warner Robins, including its first seven, with two outs in the opening game.

“Two-out hits were the difference,” Starr’s Mill coach Brent Moseley said. “We had some great two-out hits in the first game.”

Bryan Hasse ignited Starr’s Mill’s two-out scoring with an RBI single to center field in the bottom of the third inning, making it 1-0. Others driving in runs in the win were Michael Jeanes, Danny Beadling and Drew Johnson. Ed Cook hit a solo home run in the sixth inning for the Panthers. Johnson earned the win on the mound, scattering 10 hits and two runs, while striking out six over seven innings.

Jeanes drove in a run in the first inning of Starr’s Mill’s 7-5 win in game two, while Myles Jaye and Cook each drove in runs in the second. Cook and Jeanes drove in more runs later in the game and Beadling earned the victory on the mound with one hit and one walk in three innings.

Starr’s Mill has gone 6-1 over its last seven games and has outscored its opponents 70-28 in that span.

Lee County lost six of its first 10 games and has only lost twice since. After their slow start, the Trojans put together winning streaks of eight and seven games, respectively. They have won 15 games by margins of four or more this season, while scoring a total of 227 runs and allowing 145.

Lee County defeated Evans two games to one to advance to this round of the Class AAAA playoffs. Lee County lost the first game, 5-3, but won the next two, 8-3 and 5-2.

The Panthers and Trojans have not met since March 4, 2006, when Starr’s Mill won 7-4.

The winner of this series will meet the winner of East Paulding and Salem next Tuesday.

McIntosh and Sandy Creek lost their series and were eliminated from the state playoffs. The Chiefs lost to Jones County in two games, 11-6 and 16-6.

McIntosh’s top hitters in the series were David Pauley (6-for-8 with four singles and two doubles, one RBI, one run), Jake Tanis (2-for-5 with two home runs, four RBI, two walks), Eric Weiss (2-for-5 with two doubles, two walks, four runs) and Brandon Hannon (3-for-6 with three singles, one RBI, one walk, one run).

“Our offense had been our strength all year and finally ran out of gas, with us having 15 hits in 51 trips to the plate,” McIntosh coach Toby Black said.

Sandy Creek lost in three games to the Stephens County Indians, dropping the first game 8-1, winning the second game 11-7 and losing the third game 9-6.

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