Playoff time is here for nine DeKalb County baseball teams as the 2017 GHSA Baseball Playoffs get underway on Friday (April 28) with the best-of-three series starting with doubleheaders.

Four of the nine DeKalb County baseball teams are hosting first round series with the other five hitting the road to open the playoffs.

Class 3A No. 3 ranked (AJC) Redan (21-9) plays host to Fannin County (15-13) with the first game of the Friday doubleheader set for a 4:30 pm first pitch at Redan.

The Raiders have five juniors hitting over .400 on the season including Taj Bradley (.450), Orlando Adams (.433), Hunter Todd (.419), Kelvin Smith (.410) and Chayce Bryant (.408). Bradley also has a 1.77 earned run average in 29.6 innings and senior Darius Pope is 6-2 with a 2.14 ERA.

The Tucker Tigers (24-6) put their 20-game win streak on the line as they host Brunswick (13-15) in the Class 6A opening doubleheader beginning at 2:00 pm.

Emory Willis leads the team with a .348 batting average with 8 doubles and 21 RBI while junior Trevon Flowers is hitting .342 with 29 RBI. Senior Louis Davenport is 5-0 with a DCSD best ERA of 0.54 while striking out 61 in 39 innings.

In other Class 6A playoff action, Stephenson (16-11) travels to Richmond Hill (19-10) for a 4:00 pm doubleheader in the first round best-of-three series.

Stephenson is led at the plate by senior Anthony Johnson who is hitting .436 with 9 doubles and 29 RBI. Sophomore Ga’Von Wray is 5-2 on the mound with a 1.78 ERA in 43.3 innings with 47 strikeouts.

Arabia Mountain (18-8) is fresh off clinching its first baseball region championship as the Rams play hosts to Villa Rica (16-10) at 2:00 pm on Friday in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs.

Juniors Corey King (.516) with 28 RBI and Josh Campbell (.438) with 22 RBI lead the Rams at the plate. Kings’ 11 doubles on the season is tied for second on the DCSD season charts. Junior Jalyn Hawkins leads on the mound with a 2.02 ERA in 27.7 innings with 27 strikeouts and just 5 walks.

The Chamblee Bulldogs (22-8) set a school record for wins in a season with 22 this season and host Class 5A No. 10 ranked Kell (20-11) at 2:00 pm tomorrow.

Seniors Ben Lang (2.25 ERA) and Carl Marwitz (2.29) lead the Bulldogs’ pitching staff. Lang is 4-3 and Marwitz is 6-2 with both right at 37 innings on the mound this season. Senior Van Markiton (.438, 7 doubles) leads the Bulldogs at the plate while senior Joseph Brown is hitting at a .383 clip with 10 doubles and third in the county with 33 RBI on the season.

In other Class 5A action, Columbia (25-5) travels to East Paulding (15-13) at 4:00 pm and Southwest DeKalb (15-10) goes to No. 4 ranked Carrollton (25-5) at 5:00 pm.

The Eagles are led on the mound by junior Derrick Dennis (5-2, 1.77 ERA) and senior Jamal Huff (6-1, 1.79 ERA). Junior Elijah Hammonds is second in DeKalb with a .522 batting average (11 doubles, 28 RBI) and senior Marvin Lloyd is hitting .438 with 11 doubles and 27 RBI.

Southwest DeKalb is led by senior Javeon Cody who leads the county in batting average at .574 with 11 doubles, 7 triples and 20 RBI from his leadoff spot. Senior Channing Walker is 5-1 with a 2.35 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 41.7 innings to lead on the mound.

The Lakeside Vikings (18-9) go on the road to Class 7A No. 10 ranked Lambert (18-13) for a 4:30 pm doubleheader on Friday in Class 7A.

Junior Matthew Holt is 3-0 with a 2.68 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 31.3 innings for the Vikings. Senior Kiernan Acklin is hitting at a .430 clip with 9 doubles and 25 RBI to lead the Vikings at the plate.

The lone Class 4A entry for DeKalb is Druid Hills (17-10) which goes on the road to West Laurens (19-8) for a 5:00 pm doubleheader to open their state playoff run.

Juniors Mason Curtis (.407, 14 RBI) and Joseph Hiley (.405, 25 RBI) top the Red Devils’ offensive battery. Senior Harrison Aiken is the go to guy on the mound with a 6-4 record and 2.19 ERA in 44.7 innings.

DCSD STATE BASEBALL PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE
Friday, April 28
BEST OF THREE SERIES
CLASS 7A
Lakeside (18-9) at Lambert (18-13), 4:30 p.m. (DH)

CLASS 6A
Brunswick (13-15) at Tucker (24-6), 2:00 p.m. (DH)
Stephenson (16-11) at Richmond Hill (19-10), 4:00 p.m. (DH)

CLASS 5A
Villa Rica (16-10) at Arabia Mountain (18-8), 2:00 p.m. (DH)
Kell (20-11) at Chamblee (22-8), 2:00 p.m. (DH)
Columbia (25-5) at East Paulding (15-13), 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Southwest DeKalb (15-10) at Carrollton (25-5), 5:00 p.m. (DH)

CLASS 4A
Druid Hills (17-10) at West Laurens (19-8), 5:00 p.m. (DH)

CLASS 3A
Fannin County (15-13) at Redan (21-9), 4:30 p.m. (DH)

Saturday, April 29
CLASS 7A
Lakeside at Lambert, 12:30 p.m., if necessary

CLASS 6A
Brunswick at Tucker, 12:30 p.m., if necessary
Stephenson at Richmond Hill, 1:00 pm, if necessary

CLASS 5A
Villa Rica at Arabia Mountain, 1:00 p.m., if necessary
Kell at Chamblee, 1:00 p.m., if necessary
Columbia at East Paulding, 1:00 p.m., if necessary

CLASS 4A
Druid Hills at West Laurens, 1:00 p.m., if necessary

CLASS 3A
Fannin County at Redan, 2:00 p.m., if necessary

Admission Cost:
Friday Doubleheader: Adults – $10.00, Students – $10.00
Saturday Single Game If Necessary: Adults – $7.00, Students – $7.00