VALDOSTA — The Valdosta Wildcats cruised through the first round of the GHSA Class AAAAA state playoffs on Friday, defeating Bradwell Institute 10-2 and 17-0.

“I thought we swung the bats exceptionally well tonight,” said Valdosta head coach Bart Shuman after the sweep. “We came out swinging the bats in both games, and put them away early.”

In the first game, the Wildcats used strong hitting and a powerful pitching duo on the mound to put away the Tigers 10-2 in seven innings.

Kyle Rowe started the game and earned the win, going four innings, allowing two runs and four hits, while striking out four. Chad Prain came in to close out the game, going three innings, allowing no earned runs and no hits.

Valdosta was firing on all cylinders at the plate as well, scoring four runs in each of the first two innings.

In the first inning, Taylor Prain was hit by a pitch to start the inning, then Thomas Lovett hit a long RBI double to score Prain and put Valdosta on the board.

Cameron Cain followed with an RBI double. Then Galen Smith connected and hit a two-run home run to make the score 4-0.

In the second inning, Cain scored on an RBI single by Galen Smith. Smith went 2-for-2 with three RBIs.

Two batters later, Chad Prain hit a three-run home run, making it 8-0.

The Tigers got a run back in the third with a Josh Rivers RBI single that scored Steven Dill, but that would be their only earned run of the afternoon. Bradwell’s other run in the game came on an error in the sixth.

The Wildcats added another two runs to put the game away in the third inning. Lovett and Cain each hit a RBI sacrifice fly to score Stuart Brooks and Taylor Prain.

The Wildcats then came out in the second game with their most ferocious inning of the season.

Valdosta, who was the away team in the second game, put up 14 runs in the first, before Bradwell even had a chance to bat.

The Wildcats put up those 14 runs on nine hits, five walks, and one error. Ten of the first 11 batters for Valdosta reached base safely.

“We had enthusiasm early, and came out swinging,” Shuman said. “The pitching wasn’t quite there, but it will be.”