DeKalb Schools Baseball: Dunwoody Takes Lead in Region 6-AAAA

Dunwoody took control of the Region 6AAAA regular season race with three impressive league triumphs during Week 6 of the baseball season.

Coach Chan English’s Wildcats tossed three straight shutouts and out-scored the opposition by a 23-0 margin in rolling past Tucker (11-0) March 26, Lakeside (8-0) March 28 and Redan (4-0) March 29 to improve to 7-1 in 6AAAA and 10-5 overall.

Cedar Grove, Chamblee, Columbia, Druid Hills, Miller Grove and Redan also posted winning records of 2-1.

Chamblee remained in a share of the Region 6AAAA runner-up position at 6-2, highlighted by an 18-4 triumph over Miller Grove March 30. Coach Brian Ely’s Bulldogs are 11-5-1 overall.

Coach Marvin Pruitt’s Redan Raiders also join Chamblee and Marist in the three-way tie for second, knocking off Mays (10-0) March 26 and Lithonia (19-0) March 28 to improve to 11-5 overall.

Coach Steve Dennis and the Columbia Eagles routed Washington (17-1) March 26 and Stone Mountain (15-0) March 28 before falling to Riverwood (11-2) March 30 in moving to 10-6-1 overall.

Coach Matt Gershon’s Druid Hills Red Devils defeated Towers (13-3) March 26 and Washington (19-0) March 30 around a 10-0 loss to Woodward Academy March 28 in moving to 8-6 overall.

Coach Terrence Canty’s Miller Grove Wolverines edged Southwest DeKalb (5-3) March 26 and Tucker (5-4) March 28 to go along with the loss to Chamblee in soaring to 10-3 overall.

Coach Lavato Byrd’s Cedar Grove Saints bounced back from an 11-1 loss to Woodward Academy March 26 to defeat Washington (12-7) March 28 and Stone Mountain (15-1) March 30 in jumping to 8-7 overall.

WEEK 6 INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS

Senior Denzel Washington went 4-4 with four runs scored, four RBI and three doubles in Cedar Grove’s 12-7 decision over Washington March 28.

Senior Kyle Kimbrel shined at the plate in Chamblee’s 18-4 victory over Miller Grove March 30, going 3-4 with five RBI and one triple.

Sophomore Emaeus Thomas (4-4; 4 RS; 3 2B) paced a 16-hit attack for Druid Hills in a 13-3 triumph over Towers March 26.

Senior Kyle Ludewick tossed a no-hitter for Druid Hills in a 19-0 romp over Washington March 30.

Arabia Mountain and Martin Luther King Jr. led the way among four teams that posted undefeated records over the spring break week in Week 7 of the baseball season.

Coach Eric Hoxie’s Arabia Mountain Rams carried over the momentum gained from a 5-4 upset triumph over St. Pius March 30, rolling past Lithonia (5-3) April 6, Stephenson (10-4) April 7 and Miller Grove (10-0) April 7 by the combined margin of 25-7 in improving to 9-8 overall.

Coach Richard Gaines and the Martin Luther King Jr. Lions likewise registered a 3-0 week, knocking off Chamblee (4-3) April 2, Miller Grove (12-4) April 4 and Cedar Grove (9-5) April 5 in moving to 7-10 overall on the year.

Coach Bobby Gonzalez and the Tucker Tigers, meanwhile, continued to rank among the most improved teams in the county, besting Druid Hills by a final count of 8-5 April 2 in going 1-0 and moving to 10-8 overall.

Coach Marvin Pruitt’s Redan Raiders rolled past Cedar Grove by a 16-1 margin April 7, winning for the eighth time in the last nine games in moving to 12-5 overall. Druid Hills and Lakeside also enjoyed winning weeks of 2-1.

Coach Matt Gershon’s Druid Hills Red Devils bounced back from the Tucker loss to defeat Lithonia (10-0) April 3 and Southwest DeKalb (11-10) April 4 in improving to 10-7 overall.

Coach Bill Newsome’s Lakeside Vikings ended a five-game losing streak during a trip to Disney, sweeping consecutive games from Spring Valley, WV (9-4) April 4 and Westby, WI (7-3) April 4 following a tough 9-8 loss to Methacton, PA April 3 in moving to 8-10 overall on the year.

WEEK 7 INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS

Juniors Travis Taylor (3-4; 1 RS) and Demitrius Jones (3-4; 2 RBI; 1 RS) paced an 11-hit attack for Columbia in a 6-5 loss to Newton County April 7.

Senior Kyle Ludewick turned in a second straight shutout effort on the mound for Druid Hills, striking out four and allowing four hits over six innings in a 10-0 blanking of Lithonia April 3. Ludewick (2-2; 1 2B) also joined sophomore Austin Norris (2-3; 2 RBI) as the main offensive stars for the Red Devils in the contest. Juniors Deric Boone (2-4; 2 RS; 1 RBI) and Rett Adams (2-3; 3 RS; 2 RBI) and senior Quantavius Carter (2-2; 3 RS; 3 SB) led the way offensively for Druid Hills in a thrilling 11-10 decision over Southwest DeKalb April 4.

Senior James Cunningham earned the pitching triumph for Dunwoody in a 14-1 romp over McArthur, FL April 2, striking out four and allowing only one hit over four innings. Senior Chris Hale (2-2; 1 RS; 1 RBI), sophomore Will Hudgins (2-2; 2 RS; 1 RBI), senior Adam Julian (2-3; 1 RS; 1 RBI) and senior Jared Martin (2-2; 2 RS; 1 RBI; 2 2B) collected two hits each for the Wildcats in the victory. Senior James Farnell struck out five and allowed three hits and no earned runs over four innings in Dunwoody’s 11-1 decision over Hollywood Hills, FL April 4. Martin had a huge day at the plate for the Wildcats, going 3-3 with three runs scored, two RBI, one homer and one double.

Junior Adam Hall struck out three and allowed three hits and one run over four innings to garner the mound triumph in Lakeside’s 9-4 victory over Spring Valley, WV April 4. Junior Sean Wilson (2-3; 2 RBI; 1 RS) and senior Jack Thomas (2-3; 1 RS; 2 SB) paced the Viking offense. Junior Kenny Ajello (4 IP; 1 ER; 5 SO; 4 H; 2 BB) earned the win and junior Andrew Doetsch (3 IP; 4 SO; 2 H) took the save in Lakeside’s 7-3 triumph over Westby, WI April 4. Seven players collected one hit each, with Thomas plating two RBI.

Sophomore Trey Nelson tossed six innings of six-hit ball, striking out one and allowing two runs in Miller Grove’s 6-4 victory over Stephenson April 6. Seniors Randall Reid (3-4; 1 RS), Jabari Gayle (2-2; 4 RBI; 2 RS; 1 HR; 1 2B) and Greg Robinson (2-3; 1 RBI; 2 2B) led the Wolverine offense in the contest.

Mark Brock is the Statistician/Information Officer/Web Manager for DeKalb County Schools Athletics