Clayton News Daily

Jeff Hurndon Photography Luella third baseman Chase Scott is pulled off the base by a bad throw as Grayson’s Austin Meadows slides in safely. Grayson swept the best-of-three Class AAAAA second round playoff series 5-1, 4-3 to advance to the quarterfinals.

Eagle’s Landing Christian swept second-ranked Mount Paran 4-3, 5-1 in the second round of the Class A playoffs on Thursday.

The Chargers, ranked No. 8 in the state, will advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2007. Larson Gailes got the win in the opening game after coming in relief for starter Kevin Martin in the seventh inning.

Martin, a Tennessee Tech signee, had nine strikeouts.

Patrick Busscher picked up the win in the nightcap, which extended the teams winning streak to 10 games.

ELCA (24-5) will host George Walton Academy on Tuesday in the quarterfinals. Georgia Walton is ranked No. 6 in the state and swept Holy Innocents’ on Wednesday to advance.

In the opening game, freshman outfielder Dazman Cameron hit a two-out walk off single to score Matthew Barton from second base for the eighth-inning victory. Busscher had a two-out single to reach first and Barton was used as a courtesy runner. Barton stole second before Cameron’s game-winning hit.

The Chargers appeared to have the game won in the seventh when junior outfielder Jacob Heyward sent a ball over the right field wall for what appeared to be a two-run homer. As Heyward began his home run trot, the umpire ruled it a foul.

ELCA would go on to score to tie the game at 3-3 to send it into extra innings.

Down 1-0 in the nightcap, Heyward hit a three-run homer to give the Chargers the lead for good.

Marist 3, Mundy’s Mill 1

Marist will advance after it Game 3 win to take the best-of-three series. The Tigers were trying to advance to the second round for the second time in school history.

Grayson 5-4, Luella 1-3

The Lions had their eight-game winning streak snapped as Grayson swept the Class AAAAA second round best-of-three playoff series.