By Bart Moss

For the FCT

The Tharptown Wildcats won their area with a 7-1 record thus qualifying for the baseball state playoffs, which begin Friday.

The Wildcats will be matched up with 1A, Area 16 runner-up Athens Bible. The games will be played at Tharptown. Game one will begin at 4:30 p.m. on Friday and game two will follow at 7 p.m. Game three (if necessary) will be Saturday at 1 p.m.

The Wildcats are 19-13 overall. They played a tough, front-loaded schedule during the TimesDaily Tournament. However, the Wildcats have been on a roll lately winning 15 of the last 18 games.

“We are playing well right now,” Tharptown coach Griffin Harris said. “We need to hit the ball better going into the playoffs and play with a greater sense of urgency.”

Harris believes his team has what it takes to advance through the tournament.

“Athens Bible always has a solid team,” Harris explained. “They are not made up of great individuals but they are a great team and that’s what it takes to get to this point.

“They just play good fundamental baseball and don’t do things to beat themselves. We will have to play well to win, but I believe we are very capable of beating them.”

The Wildcats are led by a trio of seniors – Kelby Hallmark, Riley Nolen and Allen Bohannon.

Hallmark is leading the team batting .446 with eight doubles and 34 RBIs. He has also scored 36 runs. Nolen is batting .405 with 27 RBIs and has scored 40 runs. Bohannon is batting .393 with 12 doubles and 33 RBIs and 33 runs scored. Bohannon is also the leading pitcher on staff with a 6-1 record and an ERA of 2.16.