Class 3A: Pike County wins state title

Posted 5/24/2022

Pike County won its second state title in three seasons on Tuesday. (Photo credit: GHSA)

Pike County wins another state title

Coleman Johnson's only hit Tuesday is one he'll never forget.

With runners at first and second base and two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, Johnson lined a triple in the left field corner to plate a pair of runs, lifting Pike County to a 5-4 victory in Game 3 of the best-of-three Class 3A state championship series Tuesday afternoon at Coolray Field in Lawrenceville. The victory gave Pike the series as they captured their second state championship in three seasons with the victory.

Redan scored one in the top of the seventh before reliever Kole Hammond got a pop up that Mason Trucks snagged in foul territory to end the game.  

Pike overcame an early two-run deficit with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to grab the lead, but Redan rallied to re-tie the game at 3 in the top of the fifth. 

The two teams split a pair of games Monday night to force Tuesday's decisive Game 3. It was the third time this season that Pike County, who captured the 2019 Class 3A state title, had a series go to a deciding third game. The Pirates (36-6) needed three games to oust Sonoraville in the second round, and three games to eliminate Greater Atlanta Christian in the quarterfinals.

Johnson, Kaleb Hammond and Josh Buffington, who had a double, had Pike's only three hits of the game.

Redan (29-8) led early when Jason Avila scored on a wild pitch in the first inning. Then Anthony Mateo's RBI single in the fourth gave the Raiders a 2-0 advantage before Pike County rallied back.