MONTICELLO, Ga. — Then there were two.

Only a pair of teams in GISA Class AA continue to be alive for the 2021 baseball season. Piedmont Academy, which has won five of the last six state baseball titles, will meet an old rival and old nemesis for the trophy this week.

The Cougars (17-5 overall) will meet Gatewood (17-4) Friday and Saturday in a best-of-three series to be played at Mercer University in Macon. The series begins Friday at 3 p.m. and will continue Saturday with a game at 10 a.m. 

“The biggest concern is beating a team like Gatewood that is pretty good four times,” coach Matt Britt said. “That is what really worries you the most. We beat them twice but both were close including an extra-inning game. We are evenly matched. We have an advantage pitching-wise overall but they are also good on the mound. The game we won 3-0 could have easily been 1-0.”

Piedmont’s coach said playing sound defense will be a key for his team.

“I expect Gatewood to play a lot of ‘small ball’ in the series,” Britt said. “They are going to bunt a little more against us since we are so good on the mound. They run the bases really well so we have to take care of the little things to neutralize what they wanted to do.”

Of course, finding a way to push runs across home plate will be key.

“We are playing better on offense but it seems it takes a while to get going,” Britt said.

Piedmont will be led by three seniors including Cameron Mobley, Jeb Satterfield and Tanner Locklear. Each are eager to return the Cougars to previous state championship glory.

“This is what we’ve been after,” Mobley said. “If we keep doing what we have been doing then we should be fine.”

Locklear said he is excited about the series.

“This is my second time going for the championship,” Locklear said. “I am going to try and approach it like any other game. If we can delivery offensively, I know our pitching will be fine.”

Satterfield said playing for a championship is a great way to conclude his high school career.

“I think the key for us will be to start hot at the plate and then let our pitching do what it has always done this season,” the first baseman said.

The series will feature a matchup of head coaches who were also high school baseball standouts during their playing careers. Britt helped lead George Walton Academy to the 2001 GISA Class AAA state championship.

“Probably the thing I remember most about that final game now is how I was on the bottom of the dog pile,” Britt said. “At first that seemed like a good idea but the longer I was there I was just hoping everyone would get back up.”

Britt is aiming for his first championship as a coach. He guided both Flint River Academy and Windsor Academy to the GISA AA finals in recent years only to finish second to Piedmont.

The 2020 season, Britt’s first with the Cougars, was cut short due to the COVID-19 crisis so Piedmont players and coaches alike are glad to be able to have a postseason in 2021.

Gatewood’s Brandon Moss was a standout player at Loganville High School, and helped guide the Red Devils to the state finals his senior season. Moss went on to a long professional career before entering the high school coaching ranks. This is his first season directing the Gators.

The Cougars swept Brentwood in the semifinals at home last Thursday. Piedmont took the opening game 9-1 behind a 17-strikeout performance by Mobley. Britt’s team earned the sweep with a 4-0 win in the second game behind the pitching of Gavin Mask who recorded 10 strikeouts.

Mask and Mobley also contributed offensively with homers in the semifinal series. In the series clinching contest, Mobley, Locklear and Hudson Reed each drove in runs.

The first game was close until Piedmont scored seven runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Cougars have now won nine consecutive games and 13-of-14 overall. Gatewood has won six consecutive games with its last loss at the hands of Piedmont.

“It was a great series for us,” Britt said of the semifinals. “The kids really did well.”

The Gators swept Terrell Academy in the other semifinal series 12-4 and 6-2. Britt was able to scout the series in person. Both teams are undefeated in the postseason.