The Cook Hornets (25-3) have won 21 games in a row and beat Valdosta once and Lowndes twice this season. They are a 2-AA team that would have won region 1-AAAAA. Cook’s pitching has been dominant. The Hornets are led on the mound by a trio of excellent pitchers which include Kaleb Cowart, D.J. Johnson and Josh Barks.

Cowart is without a doubt the ace and best pitcher in South Georgia. His fastball can reach the mid-90s and he has a devastating curveball. The junior has three no-hitter this season, the last coming in the Hornets’ first round playoff game against Brantley County. Cook won 10-0 in five innings.

Johnson leads off for the Hornets and can play all over the field, though he mostly plays shortstop. On the mound this season Johnson has a 16 strikeout game, two 14 strikeout games, two 11 strikeout games and a 10 strikeout game.

The Hornets outscored Brantley County 22-1 in the two games they played and face Toombs County in a double header on Wednesday in Adel in the second round of the state playoffs.

One last local team has kept its season alive. The Valwood Valiants’ baseball team won a strange first-round series with Memorial Day in the GISA playoffs and will host Heritage of Columbus in the second round on Friday.

The Valiants beat Memorial Day 29-0 in the first game of a best 2-out-of-3 series, then lost 11-7 in the second game. However, the Valiants recovered to win the third game 15-6 and won the series.

It’s the first time since 1993 the Valiants have advanced to the quarterfinals of the GISA playoffs.