Prep Baseball Report

GHSA Playoffs: Houston County Blows By Richmond Hill


Phil Kerber
PBR Georgia Scouting Director

Warner Robins, GA - GHSA Class 6A second round action opened up on Wednesday. The Wildcats of Richmond Hill made the trip to take on Houston County and two of the state’s top 2021 arms.

Game 1

Houston County ran 6-foot-4, 225-pound RHP Brodie Chestnutt (Florida State) out to the mound for game 1 of the series. Chesnutt cruised through the first two batters of the game, picking up a strikeout and pop up, but got into a little trouble after that. SS Leighton Finely (Richmond Hill; Georgia) lined a single into left field, and then RHP/OF Luke Boone (Richmond Hill; Georgia State) drew a walk. OF Evan Cowan (Richmond Hill, 2022) broke the scoring open in the first with a double into the gap, scoring Finley and Boone. Chestnutt was able to limit the damage to two runs in the first.

Boone took the mound for Richmond Hill, and effectively shut the Houston County offense down the first time through the lineup, not allowing a hit. A one out walk to nine hole hitter turned the lineup over for Gage Harrelson (Houston County; Texas Tech). Harrelson, having a record breaking season for the Bears, made Boone pay as he launched one over the wall in dead center field to tie the game 2-2.


1B Andrew Dunford (Houston County, 2023) extended the lead with a sacrifice fly, following a double by OF Treyson Hughes (Houston County; West Virginia). The inning was capped off by a Coleman Willis (Houston County; Georgia) solo home run. When the dust had settled, Houston County had taken a 5-2 lead.

The offensive onslaught by Houston County would continue in the fifth inning. A leadoff double by Harrelson got the Bears started off. Then Hughes just missed leaving the yard as he banged one off the wall in center for a double. Already with one home run to his name, Willis doubled up, sending a missile over the right field fence for a two run bomb. If that was not good enough, 3B Drew Burress (Houston County, 2023) took the ensuing pitch over the left field fence. Just like that, the Bears had extended their lead to 9-2. Houston County would add another run in the sixth inning to make it 10-2.

After a shaky first inning, Chestnutt settled in nicely, allowing only three hits over the final six innings of the game to pick up the win. The big right-hander worked 87-90 with his fastball and mixed in an 11/5 breaking ball at 74-76. Chesnutt’s final line read: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 7 SO, 3 BB.

Game 2

Needing a win to extend the series, Richmond Hill sent Finley to the mound. Finley came out of the gate throwing 87-90 mph with his fastball and mixing in a slider at 73-75 and changeup at 80-81. While the arm talent of Finley was certainly impressive, the Houston County offense carried over their momentum into the second game.

The Bears capitalized on mistakes made by Richmond Hill in the field and on the mound throughout the game to run out to a 10-0 lead and run-rule the Wildcats in six innings. The Bears totaled 13 hits.


The real story of the game was the performance of Coleman Willis on the mound. Willis sat 89-92, touching 93 throughout the start. He consistently threw an 12/6 curveball for strikes at 75-77. Willis flashed a changeup at 88, introducing it in the latter innings of the game. For the day, Willis’ line read: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K.

Houston County advance to the quarterfinals of the GHSA 6A playoffs where they will host East Paulding on Tuesday.

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