Lassiter, Pope Advance in Baseball

Region 5-AAAAA champion didn't have an easy time in the first round of the Georgia High School Association AAAAA baseball playoffs, but the Trojans did what mattered: They advanced to Round 2.

Playing at home against North Forsyth, which had a losing season as the fourth seed from Region 6-AAAAA, Lassiter split the first two games of the best-of-three series Friday, winning Game 1, 3-0, but losing 7-5 in Game 2.

That set up a decisive third game Saturday, and the score was tied at 3 going into the bottom of the fifth, according to the Lassiter Athletics Twitter feed.

But the Trojans dominated from that point, scoring three times in the bottom of the fifth on the way to a 10-3 win.

Cornell Nixon led the Trojans at the plate, going four for five, and Tim Eber pitched the complete game for the win, The Marietta Daily Journal reported.

The Trojans (19-10) will host Region 4-AAAAA third seed in the Sweet 16, starting with a doubleheader Wednesday, in a rematch of the 2010 championship series. If neither team sweeps, Game 3 will be Thursday.

also advanced to the second round of the AAAA baseball playoffs, but with far less drama.

The Greyhounds, seeded third from Region 5-AAAA, swept , Region 6-AAAA's second seed, at the Wildcats' field Friday, winning 4-2 in Game 1 and 5-4 in Game 2.

Pope (22-6) will host Northgate for the best-of-three second-round series, starting Wednesday with a doubleheader at 5 p.m. The third game will be at 5 p.m. Thursday if it's needed.

Northgate is the fourth seed from Region 3-AAAA but has a 16-12 record and swept Region 4-AAAA's No. 1 seed, Lovejoy, in Round 1.