Clayton News Daily

Derrick Mahone Kevin Martin, the lone senior on the Eagle’s Landing Christian roster, will take to the mound Saturday against Landmark Christian in the Region 9-A championship game at Strong Rock Christian.

Last Tuesday, Eagle’s Landing Christian senior pitcher Kevin Martin put the eighth-ranked Chargers in a position to play for the Region 9-A championship with a win over No. 9 Landmark Christian.

Saturday, the Tennessee Tech signee will get an opportunity to finish the mission. Martin, the Chargers’ lone senior, is expected to get the start when the two teams meet at Strong Rock Christian for a 5:30 p.m. region championship game.

“My arm is feeling good,” Martin said Friday evening. “We are all looking forward to this game. It is a big game for both teams.”

Both teams will advance to next week’s Class A first round playoffs and get a chance to host.

The teams split during the regular season with each winning at home. ELCA won on Tuesday, 4-1, on Senior Night. Landmark won the earlier contest, 5-1, in Fairburn on March 21.

ELCA is 20-5 overall and Landmark is 19-6 with both teams sporting an 11-1 mark in the region. The Chargers have won six straight since an 11-2 loss to Class AAA’s Woodward Academy.

Landmark’s loss to ELCA snapped an eight-game winning streak and was the War Eagles’ lowest scoring output since a 9-0 loss to Class AAAA Douglas County on March 17. The War Eagles rebounded from Tuesday’s loss with a 21-0 win over first-year school New Manchester of Douglas County.

“We both want this game real bad,” Martin said. “I’m sure both of us will be real nervous. We just have to settle down and play baseball.”