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GHSA Playoff Round-Up: Thursday, May 7th

May 10, 2026
Prep Baseball Georgia
Staff

It is playoff time in the state of Georgia, the best time of the year. As we nearly hit the 300 game mark in the regular season, we have 400 games in site with a full slate of playoffs the next month.

We will be recapping each day of games, so be sure to check back daily to see how the games went. 

Thursday

Coffee @ Brunswick (DH)

Score: Brunswick sweep, 10-0 & 6-1.

Standouts:

Brett Hickson, SS, 2026, Brunswick


Avery Jefferson, 1B, 2026, Brunswick


Trenton Robinson, RHP/OF, 2026, Brunswick


Brody Sapp, 2B, 2029, Brunswick


Grant Moore, OF, 2026, Brunswick


Colt Howes, OF, 2026, Brunswick

Key Moments:

GM1: The Pirates put together a 6-run 3rd inning to generate tons of momentum across the night. Took advantage of a couple of errors and walks with RBI base-hits from Brett Hickson and Braxton Johnson as they led 6-0 going to the 4th. Grant Moore kicked off the 4th with a single followed by a walk from Hickson and an RBI double from Colt Howes. A sacrifice fly from Avery Jefferson would bring in another run, and Brody Sapp extended the lead with an RBI single to make it 9-0 in the 4th. Brunswick capped off a run-rule win as Colt Howes added an RBI sacrifice fly to take game one by a score of 10-0. Trenton Robinson produced 5 shutout innings during game one for the Pirates as well.

GM2: Brunswick jumped out to another early lead this time in the 1st inning as Brett Hickson tripled and came around to score as the Pirates led 1-0 after 1. Grant Moore added an RBI sacrifice fly in the 2nd to extend the lead to 2-0. Hickson stayed hot with another triple in the 4th this time for an RBI as it was now 3-0. Coffee for on the board during the bottom half of the inning after a couple of walks and a sacrifice fly from Will Walker to make it a 3-1 ballgame. Base-hits from Grant Moore, Avery Jefferson, and Coleman Smith paced the Pirates to 3 runs in the top half of the 7th as the lead was stretched to 6-1, where that remained the final score and Brunswick completed the sweep.

Avery’s Takeaway: Brunswick shut down a hot Coffee team that rolled through the first two series. The Pirates top of the order really stood out across the double-header as names like Grant Moore, Brett Hickson, Colt Howes, and Avery Jefferson can pace the lineup on any given night. Freshman Brody Sapp showed well as he put together really good plate appearances across the double-header and will continue to be significant piece in the heart of the order in the Final Four and so forth. Trenton Robinson provides an ace atop the staff and will look to bring more key innings next round. It’s a well-rounded group for the Pirates who will have to host either Loganville/Villa Rica which is no easy task but the pieces are in place for Brunswick to make a trip to Gwinnett.

Cambridge @ Benedictine

Score: Benedictine win, 10-9

Standouts:

Omari Burse, SS, 2027, Benedictine


Patrick Spencer, OF, 2026, Cambridge


Noah Harris, MIF, 2028, Benedictine


Ethan Herrington, OF, 2027, Cambridge


Kai Hernandez-Gambill, 1B, 2027, Benedictine

Key Moments: The Bears would come out on fire early on as Patrick Spencer would take the first pitch of the game a long way to RCF for the leadoff HR and add another run to end the inning with quality base running. Cadets would get a run back in the bottom half on a Noah Harris RBI 1B before Cambridge would break things open in the 2nd. The Bears would string together 6 runs in the inning highlighted by RBI knocks from Sebastian Peralta, Gavin Gebhardt and Ethan Herrington to extend the lead to 8-1 in a hurry. Benedictine would cut the deficit in half in the 3rd thanks to a pull-side 3-run HR from Omari Burse that would inject some energy back into the Cadets. The comeback would continue in the 5th with a big-time pinch-hit 2B that would score two and make it only a two run game heading into the late innings. Burse would show his feel for the moment once again in the 6th to fully erase the 7-run deficit with a dead central HR that would ultimately send this game to extras. A single from Gavin Gebhardt followed by some instinctive base running would give the Bears the lead once again in the 8th and put the pressure on the Cadets. Benedictine would open the inning a fly-out before the next 5 would reach base and eventually complete the improbable comeback with a walk-off HBP.

Ian’s Takeaway: Benedictine with one of the best comebacks you’ll see in the playoffs and propelled themselves back to the Final Four for the first time in recent years. Omari Burse was everywhere in the GM3 win, contributing with 2 HR, 5 RBI as well as 6.0 one-run innings out of the bullpen that would really settle things down for the Cadets. The lineup 1-9 for Coach Pascual has been impressive all spring and that showed throughout the series with timely hitting against both LHP and RHP that will be key against an experienced staff next round in North Oconee.

West Laurens @ Pickens
Scores:
GM 1: Pickens 3 West Laurens 1
GM 2: Pickens 5 West Laurens 0

Standouts:
AJ Rice, RHP/SS, 2026, Pickens


Kam Jenkins, C, 2026, Pickens


Robert Turner, OF, 2026, Pickens


Jennings Allen, SS, 2027, Pickens


Christian Starks, UTL, 2026, Pickens


Duggan Malone, RHP, 2028, West Laurens


Key Moments:
GM 1: Sophomore Duggan Malone and Senior AJ Rice matched up on the mound in game 1 of the series. Cason Pollock kicked off the action in the 2nd when he connected on a low 90’s fastball at the belt and drove it over the CF wall for the early lead. Rice then went on to throw 5 shutout innings with 12 strikeouts. Malone gave the Dragons some trouble until the 3rd when Robert Turner hit a double down the line to get them on the board to tie it. Jennings Allen followed him up with a 1B up the middle to give them the 2-1 lead. AJ Rice then helped himself out with a pull side barrel to make it 3-1, and that is where the score would stay. Rice went on to get the win, but Malone really battled and kept them in it until the end.

GM 2: Senior, Christian Starks got the start on the mound for the Dragons. He has been huge to get back towards the end of the year and in this playoff run. He pounded the zone, per usual, forcing contact and getting outs. The Dragons jumped out to the early 3-0 lead with back to back singles by Robert Turner and Jennings Allen. They were able to get a couple more across in the 2nd with a leadoff single by Kam Jenkins and double by AJ Rice, followed by a 2 RBI single from Christian Starks. Freshman, Brycen Milton kept West Laurens in the game with 4.2 strong innings of work. He is an intriguing arm that is going to be fun to watch then next 3 years.


Huddy’s Takeaway

Surprisingly this was my first trip up to Pickens this spring. They played the same baseball that I saw a season ago with the tough at bats, and key hits when they needed them. They minimize mistakes and throw strikes. AJ Rice was AJ Rice on the mound, running the fastball up to 95, which was the first time I have seen him do that in person. We have been following him since 13u when he was 78-80 and now, 4 years later he is one of the top arms in the state. West Laurens made an impressive run this year and have some young players that are going to be around the next couple years working to get them back into this position next year.

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