MACON – During game three of last season’s state championship series, Lawson Wooten was entrusted with finishing out the contest on the mound, a role that could help secure his team a title.
On Tuesday, Wooten was in a similar situation against Edmund Burke Academy (EBA) in game three of this year’s state championship series. Like last year, the Gators had a big lead late in the game.
Wooten was dialed in on Monday afternoon in Macon. He pitched the final two innings against the Spartans to secure Gatewood’s second-straight Georgia Independent Athletic Association title.
“I mean, it’s just like last year. The coaches trusted me with the last out, so they put me in,” Wooten said. “If the coaches trust me, I’ll do whatever for them. They have my back, and I have theirs.”
Wooten has been a big part of Gatewood’s back-to-back championship-winning run. The senior transferred in from Bethlehem Christian two years ago and never looked back.
Wooten and a few others have been among the team’s more reliable arms this year. Wooten’s dependability landed him on the bump to start the sixth inning of Monday’s game with a six-run lead.
The 6–foot-3, 190-pound right-hander didn’t hesitate under pressure. Wooten stayed cool, calm, and collected, which is something he’s taught himself to do in the past. He didn’t feel any stress. At all.
Before stepping onto the mound to start the sixth inning, Wooten took a moment to himself.
“I was like, ‘Here we go again. I can do it,’ and I did,” he said. “It was a great feeling to get that last out.”
After the game, Gatewood head baseball coach Brandon Moss was extremely proud of his senior pitcher.
“He came to us as a junior, and the moment I met him and watched him throw in the bullpen, I knew he was the guy who was going to be on the mound when we win a state championship,” Moss said.
“He’s got that bulldog mentality, and he’s not afraid of anybody. He comes right after you and is an imposing figure. I knew he was one of those guys who would turn your entire team and the dynamic of it around. Last year, he was a huge piece, and this year, he was a huge piece. He’s one of those guys who can positively affect your whole team. Lawson has been great for us.”
Wooten recently graduated from Gatewood, and the memories of the last two seasons will last a lifetime. He said he’ll miss the bus rides, pre- and postgame meals, and bonding experiences with the team.
Wooten wants to continue his baseball career but knows that if Monday was his last game, he’ll cherish those final moments of winning another title at rival Tattnall Square Academy’s field in Macon.
“I will miss all the camaraderie that we had. Just everybody, I’ll miss them,” Wooten admitted. “Even Edmund Burke Academy’s dugout chirping me just about my shoe size. I mean, they were calling me ‘Bigfoot.’ I was literally laughing on the mound, so those are the things I will miss the most.”