FPD Falls in Game One of the GIAA State Championships

COLUMBUS, Georgia – (41NBC/WMGT) – On Thursday at Synovus Park, the FPD Vikings took on the Brookstone Cougars in Game One of the GIAA AAAA Baseball State Championship in a rematch of the 2024 state championship. The Vikings lost to the Cougars in three games last May at Luther Williams Field to place second as the 2024 GIAA AAAA Baseball State Championship runner ups.

Thursday night, in a late game one that started three hours after it’s 7 p.m scheduled start time due to a lightning delay earlier in the day, the Vikings fell in the first game of this series by a score of 9-3.

In the bottom third, FPD gets on the board first when Brady McHugh hit an RBI-single to bring in Keon Johnson. Later in the frame, Grant Martin knocked a two out RBI single to make it 2-0 Vikings after three innings.

After Brookstone matched the Vikings with two runs of their own from an RBI double and bases loaded walk, FPD responded in the bottom fifth with a sacrifice fly from Wyatt Waters to score McHugh and take the lead back with the third FPD run of the game.

Vikings pitcher Connor Strandmark went to the bench after five innings. McHugh replaced him on the mound. However, after another RBI double from the Cougars, Brookstone tied the game at three in the top sixth. After that, Keon Johnson came in to strike out two batters and retire the side.

Tied at three after seven innings this game headed to extra innings. In the top ninth, Brookstone rattled off six runs to take a 9-3 lead. The Cougars held off FPD in the bottom frame to take game one 9-3 in a match that ended at 1:15 a.m.

Game two of this title series is scheduled for Friday night at 7 p.m.