Gatewood advanced to its sixth consecutive GIAA Class 2A baseball state semifinal series following 8-5 and 12-0 wins over Brentwood last Thursday in Eatonton.
The Gators dominated Game 2, hitting a season-high five home runs off the Eagles’ pitching staff. Gatewood starting pitcher Lawson Moore shut down the Brentwood offense, striking out 13 while allowing just three hits and one walk in a six-inning complete-game performance.
Gatewood head coach Brandon Moss praised Moore’s outing but emphasized that his impact goes beyond strikeouts.
“He did a great job,” Moss said. “But he also does more than just strike guys out.”
“He always commands the strike zone so well, and that’s the most special thing about him to me. I tell people that all the time.
“Yes, he has good velocity, he spins the ball well, he has great mound presence, but he pounds the strike zone. And when you do that with good stuff, you’re going to have a ton of success. He does that consistently.”
Gatewood also delivered a powerful showing at the plate, combining for seven home runs across the doubleheader, led by Jayden Moss, who homered in both games.
Ben Pearson added a two-homer performance in Game 2, while Moore, Ben Brannen, and Connor Mitchem also went deep in the nightcap.
Brandon Moss said he wasn’t surprised by his team’s offensive production.
“With the weather and wind conditions today, I kind of had a feeling that was going to happen,” Moss said. “I actually mentioned it before the game.”
“I don’t think I’ve seen the wind blowing out on a warm day like this in four years. Our guys hit the ball hard, and in the air, and with conditions like that, you’re going to see home runs.”
The Gators faced some early resistance in the opener, trailing after the first inning and later being tied 5-5 in the fourth before breaking through with back-to-back home runs in the fifth to secure the 8-5 win.
Moss said the early struggles were expected after a layoff, but he was pleased with how his team adjusted.
“In Game 1, you know it’s going to be rusty,” Moss said. “You’re facing their ace, and you’re trying to figure things out as you go.
“By Game 2, you hope you’ve adjusted and can put up runs as we did. I’m glad we won Game 1—we needed it—but we weren’t going to panic if we didn’t. We just knew we were a little rusty after not playing meaningful games in a couple of weeks.”
In the semifinals, Gatewood will face region rival Trinity Christian. The Gators swept the Crusaders during the regular season, winning 11-7 and 13-9 en route to the 2026 region title.
Gatewood and Trinity Christian will meet for the third and fourth times this season, beginning a doubleheader at 4 p.m. Friday in Eatonton.