The Lake Oconee Academy baseball team is playing some of its best baseball at the right time.
The Titans punched their ticket to the GHSA Class A Division I Elite Eight with a two-game sweep of Treutlen, showcasing both explosive offense and reliable pitching.
LOA head coach Mark Miller said his team set the tone early in Game 1 with a decisive victory.
“We put ourselves in a good position,” Miller said. “I wasn’t too sure about the Treutlen series because I knew they believed as a team, but I was really proud of our guys, especially our energy and focus in Game 1.”
That focus showed immediately. Lake Oconee Academy erupted for 10 runs in the first two innings of the opener, overwhelming the Vikings in a 10-0 run-rule victory that “kind of took the life out of them really, really fast,” according to Miller.
Game 2 brought more resistance, but the Titans still maintained control. Holding an 8-1 lead entering the seventh inning, Lake Oconee Academy weathered a late push before securing an 8-6 win to complete the sweep.
“Pitching-wise, we got a little bit tired and gave up some bloop hits here and there,” Miller said. “The score was probably a little bit closer than the game actually was, but happy to get out of there with two wins.”
The series once again highlighted the Titans’ strength on the mound. Jon Harris Funderburke and Ty Hiter — longtime anchors of the pitching staff — each delivered complete-game performances.
“Those two guys have been our guys on the hill all year long,” Miller said. “Jon threw a gem in Game 1, and Ty came back and did the same in Game 2.”
Funderburke also led the charge offensively, blasting two home runs as part of a power surge that saw the Titans hit four total dingers across the series. Griffin Stanford and Jake McDonald each added a home run, continuing a hot stretch at the plate.
“We’ve just been hitting the ball really, really well the past four or five games,” Miller said.
That momentum will be tested in the next round, as Lake Oconee Academy prepares to face Charlton County — a familiar and formidable postseason opponent.
The Indians, a perennial contender, play an aggressive style that puts constant pressure on opposing defenses.
“They’re going to come in very aggressively in everything they do, especially offensively,” Miller said. “They run the bases well, stretch singles into doubles, and just put a lot of pressure on you.”
To counter that, Miller emphasized the importance of clean defense and a disciplined offensive approach.
“We’ve got to play really clean defensively,” he said. “Offensively, we just have to continue our approach — letting the ball travel and using the opposite field, so we can handle all types of pitchers they’re going to throw at us.”
With both programs accustomed to deep playoff runs, the upcoming series presents another high-stakes chapter. For the Titans, it’s also an opportunity to measure how far they’ve come.
“They’ve been in this situation year after year after year,” Miller said. “We’re just excited to have another shot at them.”