Power Hitters Lead Parkview, Providence in Baseball Playoffs

Matt Olson looks more the part, Christin Stewart more unassuming.

How ever they do it, the junior power hitters are primary reasons their Parkview and Providence Christian baseball teams are in today's best-of-three Class AAAAA and A semifinal series against Colquitt County and Treutlen, respectively.

"I'm relaxed at the plate and not pressing myself," Olson said. "When I do that, I can drive the ball.

"When I get in my groove, I usually stay in it for a little bit," the 6-foot-5, 230-pounder added. "I'm just trying to help us get the win. As long as we get the win, I don't really care how I do personally."

Stewart, who has five home runs in the Stars' dismissals of Glascock County, George Walton Academy and King's Ridge in the first three rounds, now has a Gwinnett County-record 24, one more than Kevin O'Leary's previous record of 23 for Wesleyan. Olson, who was intentionally walked several times in the Panthers quarterfinal sweep of Luella, has three of his 13 homers this postseason. Both remain among the county's top five in home runs and show no signs of letting up.

"I've really got to zone in and hit the ball, especially at this point in the playoffs," said Stewart, surprisingly powerful at 6-0, 195. "I try to focus on hitting line drives and just getting on base, but sometimes, they just go out."

Stewart, whose first postseason homer against Glascock was his 20th and tied former Parkview great Jeff Francoeur for second-most in county history, has been on a tear. Not only did his four homers help the Stars (24-10) outlast King's Ridge in three games, but two propelled Providence to a 27-18 victory in Game 1. Remarkably, the Region 5-A player of the year is batting above .500 and his 50-plus RBIs have him neck-and-neck with Jordan Hillyer of Gwinnett's other Class A semifinalist, Hebron Christian.

Olson, named Region 8-AAAAA player of the year, had a two-run homer in Parkview's opening-round sweep of Centennial and two in the Panthers' three-game dispatching of North Gwinnett. He was walked several times against Luella and went hitless in that series, but pitched the opening-game victory that put the Panthers (25-8) into the semifinals for the first time since 2005.

Olson, who also has been effective as a pitcher, hasn't been given much to hit this postseason, drawing 10 walks, including six intentional, among his 35 this season. But when he's gotten fat pitches, he's ripped them.

"He's a very patient hitter who knows the [strike] zone," Parkview coach Chan Brown said. "He'll take a first strike a lot of times, go 0-2, and still get the big hit.

"He's got one of those natural left-handed swings and generates a lot of bat speed, which creates a lot of home runs."

Today's semifinals extend Parkview and Providence's dream seasons that included region championships. The Panthers, state titlists in 1996, 2001 and '02, were propelled into the postseason by their 16th region title and second consecutive. The Stars, attempting to go beyond one other semifinal appearance in 2008, didn't secure their region championship until the final game of the regular season.

While Parkview and Providence have played at home so far in the playoffs, the Panthers must travel to Colquitt for its semifinal. They planned to drive down early Sunday and practice in the afternoon, in preparation for today's 4 p.m. doubleheader and possible Game 3 at 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Providence's doubleheader begins at 2 p.m. today, with Game 3 at 5 p.m. Tuesday if necessary.