Panthers Win, Reach State Quarterfinal

Parkview finished off North Gwinnett Thursday, beating the Bulldogs 11-4 to win the best-of-three Class AAAAA baseball playoff series two games to one.

The win propels the three-time state champions to the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2005, when they reached the semifinals.

Next up for the Panthers (23-8) will be Luella in a best-of-three series that begins with a Tuesday doubleheader at Parkview. The third game, if necessary, will be Wednesday, also at Parkview.

Parkview looked uneasy early Thursday as North Gwinnett put up early runs in the first inning. But if the two games played on Wednesday (an 11-10 win by Parkview and a 5-4 win by North Gwinnett) proved anything, it was that either team could rally from behind to pull out a win.

Parkview scored two runs in the second and one in the third to tie the game at 3-3. It looked as if the game would remain tight until Parkview scored five in the fourth inning to take control. The big hit was Travis Naraine's three-run triple. Naraine finished with three hits and four runs batted in. Parkview never looked back after leading 8-3.

North Gwinnett was not about to give up. Alex Kimble got a double in the sixth inning. Ryan Hagan followed up with a double off the left wall to bring in the fourth run for North Gwinnett.

It looked like North was about to make a rally when coach Chan Brown of Parkview made a wise decision to kill any momentum by switching pitchers.

Parkview’s Jesse Foster was replaced on the mound by Phillip Taylor, who quickly got out of the inning and effectively squashed any rally attempt by North Gwinnett.

Parkview’s Jack Esmonde led off the next inning with a single past third base. Naraine hit the centerfield wall for a double. North Gwinnett’s pitcher walked the next two batters. Parkview’s Matt Olson was up to bat. But Olson, who was intentionally walked three times in the opening doubleheader, was hit in the foot by a pitch to force in the final run.

Jarrett Freeland had two home runs and Josh Hart had a solo homer for Parkview.