The Gordo Green Wave were on a roll. Barreling toward destiny and another shot
at the state baseball title, the Wave were on an impressive run that had turned
a 7-4 start into an 22-4 rampage. The only problem was somebody forgot to tell
Cinderella to stay away from the ball.
Gordo was ousted at home in a two-game sweep on Friday when Loveless Academic
Magnet Program High School, LAMP for short, turned out the lights on the Wave
7-1 and 5-2.
The question asked most often before the series was “Who is LAMP?”
After LAMP eliminated the Wave, you have to tip your cap in respect for what the
Golden Tiger program has accomplished in a short period of time.
The Montgomery-based school was established in 1999 and initially served only
10-12th grades. Ninth grade was added in 2001. The school currently boasts an
enrollment of about 400 students.
Two years ago, the Golden Tiger baseball team won just five total games. A year
ago, the team made the playoffs, but were swept away in the second round by
Clarke County.
This season, on the strength of Friday’s two-game sweep of Gordo, the Golden Tigers are making the school’s first ever appearance in the state semi-finals. LAMP will host Mobile
Christian in a best-of-three series this weekend.
For Gordo, it marks the second straight season the Wave have been ousted in the
third round. Washington County turned the trick last season and went on to the
state finals where they lost to Hokes Bluff.
LAMP came into the Gordo series with a suspect 21-15 record and fresh from a
pitcher
’s nightmare three-game set against Calera. The Golden Tigers and Eagles combined
to score 70 runs over the three games and LAMP took the series on a three-run
homer in a decisive 15-14 Game Three.
There were no such offensive fireworks in Gordo.
The Wave had chances but couldn’t capitalize. Hard hit balls fed straight into the Golden Tiger defense. Bases
loaded situations fizzled. Two LAMP runs in the third and two more in the fifth
were more than enough to tag Gordo starter Taylor Gregory with his first loss
of the season.
LAMP took the opener 7-1.
The Golden Tigers seized the momentum and carried it over to the second game of
the series.
With Gordo scratching to stave off elimination and the score tied 1-1 in the
fourth, LAMP
’s Austin White homered. The White dinger was a game changer. Three more runs
finished off the Wave 5-2.
The sweep snapped a season-long winning streak for Gordo and brought the season
to an abrupt close. Gordo finished with a 24-6 overall record.
3_art8150671.png)
