Clayton News Daily

Photo by Derrick Mahone Mount Zion junior pitcher/infielder Kenneth Wiggins has been one of the reasons the Bulldogs are making their first-ever state playoff appearance this weekend. Wiggins sports a 6-1 record with three saves and is hitting .468 with 24 RBIs.

When the state baseball playoffs come around each year, Mount Zion is usually packing away its equipment.

But this year will be different.

The Bulldogs clinched their first state playoff berth on Friday with a 10-0 win over Banneker. And Mount Zion can also thank Lovejoy for some help.

Not only did Lovejoy defeat Creekside to win the Region 4-AAAA title, it also enabled Mount Zion to reach the postseason for the first time in school history. Creekside and Mount Zion both finished with an 11-9 region record and tied for the fourth playoff spot in the region.

The Bulldogs won both meetings with Creekside to give them the final playoff spot.

“We are definitely excited about reaching the postseason,” Mount Zion coach Kelcey White said. “It makes it extra special because this is our first year.”

In all, seven teams from the Southern Crescent reached the postseason, which starts Friday. Higher seeded teams will host a best-of-three format. In addition to Lovejoy, Luella won its region (2-AAAAA) and Eagle’s Landing Christian clinched the Region 9-A title with a win over Landmark Christian on Saturday.

All three will host its first round series. Mundy’s Mill, the Region 4-AAAA runner-up, will also host its first round game.

Coffee will travel to Luella, while Northgate plays at Lovejoy. Commerce, which had to defeat Washington-Wilkes in a Class A play-in game on Monday, will travel to ELCA for a first round series.

Jones County, the No. 3 seed from Region 3-AAAA, will play at Mundy’s Mill.

Locust Grove will travel to Cross Creek for a first round series. In its second season of a varsity schedule, Locust Grove has made the playoffs each season.

Mount Zion is hoping not to make its first playoff appearance a short one.

“We are real excited about going to the playoffs,” Mount Zion junior Kenneth Wiggins said. “I’ve heard a lot about playing in the playoffs through my friends. We are confident and trust each other on the team.”