Pope Baseball Advances to State Finals

East Cobb prep baseball teams had a shot on Tuesday -- just a shot -- to double their chances of winning state championships.

The Pope Greyhounds bounced back in the late innings to seal their place in the Georgia High School Association Class AAAAA championship series.

At the same time, the Walton Raiders were mounting a comeback in their bid for a spot in the Class AAAAAA finals.

Nathaniel Lowe of Pope cracked the game-winning single in the eighth inning as the Greyhounds won their rubber match with Starr's Mill by a 7-6 score.

Lowe, who also pitched well in a five-inning stint, got his hit after the game was delayed 30 minutes by inclement weather.

Pope led 4-1 and 5-3, then Starr's Mill tied the game at 5-5 when the rain came.

"These guys scratched and clawed all year long," Pope coach Jeff Rowland told The Marietta Daily Journal.

For the first time since winning a state title in 2009, Pope is in the finals.

On Saturday, the Greyhounds will play host to Greenbrier in a doubleheader. The first game starts at 3 p.m. and the nightcap follows at 5:30 p.m.

If a third game is necessary, that would be played at Pope on Monday at 3 p.m.

Walton trailed Roswell by five runs but came up just short as the Raiders fell in their decisive semifinal game, also by a 7-6 score.