The 2018 West Georgia Middle School Baseball Champion HCMS Braves along with coaches Heath Horn, Jud Jones, and Dalton Reed

(Franklin, GA) — The Heard County Middle School baseball team secured the first small school baseball championship in school history during the recent West Georgia Small Middle School division finals.

The squad won both home playoff games in convincing fashion following an 8-5 regular season record.

In the semifinals, the Braves knocked off Bowdon 19-4 with Isaiah O’Neal earning the win on the mound. An RBI triple by Jacob Miles and a run scoring single from catcher Colton Meacham broke the game open in the bottom of the second inning and the Braves never looked back in the rout.

In the championship game played on April 19 at HCMS, the Braves scored another impressive run rule win as they took down the Villa Rica Wildcats by a final score of 12-2.

Kellon Rollings led the way with a solid four innings on the mound giving up just two hits and a walk while striking out five. He also went 2-for-3 with an RBI at the plate.

Chance Brown had a huge effort at the plate with two hits and four RBI’s and Noah Cantrell was 2-for-2 with one batted in.

“We were just able to get hot at the right time to bring home this title. Kellon Rollings and Aidan Boyd were just huge for us on the mound this year — I don’t think either of them were knocked out of a game,” said Coach Horn after the big game.

“This group of 14 eighth graders is special — they like each other, work hard, and have a lot of chemistry together. Coach Bianco will be lucky to have this group over a the high school for the next four years. I’m proud of each and every one of them.”

As a result of the championship win, Brave head coach Heath Horn along with assistant coaches Jud Jones and Dalton Reed were named coaches for this week’s middle school all-star game at the Tanner’s Beach Complex.

Three of the best players from each West Georgia team were selected for the honor and the champion middle Braves were represented by Rollings, Brown, and O’Neal at the game.

The Brave coaches and players teamed up with all-stars from Bremen, Central, Temple, and Mount Zion and won both games of the doubleheader by scores of 9-2 and 5-1.

Rollings was one of the most impressive arms at the all-star game allowing just a single base hit in two innings of work while adding two hits and three RBI’s at the plate. O’Neal was outstanding at the plate going 2-for-4 with a 3-run HR and Brown was 2-for-4 with some big defensive plays.

Other team members of the first time champion Braves included William Holmes, Chris Pruitt, A.J. Rogers, Joseph Whitehead, Bo Langley, Jackson Akins, Kainnan Lindsay, Matthew Raines, Will Alford, Tyler Lasseter, John Paul Awbrey, and William King.