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Ben Beitzel

Stories by Ben

Sectional format toughens state golf championships

Locals to compete for state titles Monday at courses around the state

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GAC girls chasing a legacy vs. Westminster

Spartans going for back-to-back state girls soccer titles.

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Burger chases national title in final college tourney

Mill Creek graduate Georgia's lone qualifier in home event.

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Collins Hill keeper sends team back to state finals

Eagles in final match for the sixth straight season after PK win over Harrison

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Heyward hitless in first rehab game

G-Braves drop 12th straight game, 14-9 to Pawtucket

Ayala solid in inning, G-Braves lose again

LAWRENCEVILLE -- As innings go, Luis Ayala's passed stress-free.. The Atlanta Braves reliever, pitching on a rehab assignment with the Gwinnett Braves, needed just 10 pitches to retire the top of the Pawtucket order.

G-Braves drop 10th straight in 7-3 loss to Pawtucket

LAWRENCEVILLE -- With one out and the bases loaded, Daniel Rodriguez got the play he needed.. Pawtucket's Ronald Bermudez tapped a soft come-backer toward the pitcher Rodriguez who snatched the ball and threw to catcher Jose Yepez for the second out at home on the ideal double-play ball

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STATE TRACK NOTES: With state title Abernathy now hopes to 'three-peat'

Even as the GAC sprinter came down the final stretch of his 400-meter state championship run, the rest of the Class AA field lagged a few steps behind and Abernathy sailed across the finish line in 50.14.

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Mill Creek wins state track championship

As Michael Cheeks got in the blocks for his 200 meter run, the constant rain amped up from a steady drizzle a heavy pour.

Errors cost Grayson in Game 2

LOGANVILLE -- Even down four runs in the top of the seventh, Grayson kept the pressure up.. Ahead a game in its first round playoff series against Roswell, the Rams entered the final inning down 9-5 and with two outs had a runner on first. Casey Collins took a ball

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McCann rehab nearing end

LAWRENCEVILLE -- In Brian McCann's rehab tour of minor league baseball his stint with Gwinnett started a few minutes late.. The Duluth graduate, after playing four games with Class A Rome, arrived at Coolray Field planning on a typical 7 p.m. start. The atypical G-Braves start weekday games at

Gilmartin fades in G-Braves loss

LAWRENCEVILLE -- When the drizzle picked up and Sean Gilmartin reached the seventh inning, things turned soggy for the Braves prospect.. The lefty took a no-hitter into the inning and had thrown just 76 pitches with six strikeouts and had walked two. But a leadoff single opened the door

Buford girls ride 'game changers' to perfect season

It's not perfect yet, but the regular season sure was a good start.. With a resounding 10-0 win over Fanin County, Buford's girls soccer team finished the regular season undefeated 17-0. The game before, the Wolves claimed the Region 7-AAA title with a 2-1 win at Dawson County.. But

G-Braves double-down Knights

Gwinnett doubles up Charlotte six times in 1-0 win

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GREATER GWINNETT CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES: Allen penalizes self out of lead

When "self preservation" met "integrity," it cost Michael Allen two strokes.

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Toledo chasing first-ever PGA victory

Esteban Toledo says he replays his runner-up finish in the 2002 Buick Open over and over again.

G-Braves bats stifled again in 5-1 loss

Facing a former major league pitcher for the third straight night led to the third straight loss for the Gwinnett Braves.

TPC Sugarloaf just what players remember

When Kenny Perry last left TPC Sugarloaf, he drove off one water ball away from a trophy.

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Freeman ready to "cut it loose"

Atlanta Braves first baseman takes BP with G-Braves, plans to play next three games with Gwinnett

Langer confident coming to Gwinnett

To see how Bernhard Langer approaches any golf tournament, just look at what he said after his top-25 finish in last weekend's Masters.. The 55-year-old entered Sunday's final round at 2-under par and birdied the first three holes, propelling him near the top of the leaderboard

Errors cost G-Braves vs. Tides

LAWRENCEVILLE -- With Freddie Garcia pitching the way that earned him a spot in the New York Yankees rotation a year ago, the Gwinnett Braves needed a flawless performance to match.. They didn't get anything close.. Gwinnett committed three errors, all which led to unearned runs, while Garcia dominated over

Bullpen blows Gilmartin start in 4-3 G-Braves loss

LAWRENCEVILLE -- At the start of this season, Sean Gilmartin earned plenty of recognition.. The lefty and former first-round draft pick started for the Braves' Future Team in the final exhibition of spring training and he followed that as the opening day starter for the Gwinnett Braves.. On Tuesday

Champions event brings golf's legends

As Sandy Lyle walked down the fairway on Saturday at Augusta National, people whispered to each other. Some even pointed.

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Mill Creek's Pierre-Louis adjusts after fleeing Haiti

Mill Creek senior fled Haiti after 2010 earthquake

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Watson's busy spring includes Gwinnett

Before Tom Watson hung up the phone during a Q&A with media about his commitment to play in the Greater Gwinnett Championship, the eight-time major champion winner wanted to ask his own question.

MASTERS NOTES: Windy round saves penalized Guan from cut

What caused the penalty probably helped keep him in the tournament. In what rules official John Paramor said came after repeated discussions, 14-year-old amateur Tianlang Guan was assessed a penalty for slow play on the 17th hole Friday.

Trusting Day survives the blusters at Masters

For most players, the wind won. Through early rain and the late-day sun, the winds at Augusta kept blowing.

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Suwanee man hasn't missed a Masters since 1969

Suwanee's David Whitfield made his first trip to Augusta National in 1969 as a 9-year-old with his grandfather.

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MASTERS NOTES: Windy round saves penalized Guan from cut

Tianlang Guan given one-stroke penalty for slow play during Masters second round

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MASTERS NOTES: Waiting Leishman lost in late charge

Marc Leishman had about three hours to enjoy leading the Masters. When the Australia native finished his round with a 6-under 66, he held a two-stroke lead and walked off the 18th green with a big smile.

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Garcia, tied for Masters lead, confident this time

Last year, Sergio Garcia set himself up. The enigmatic talent had just shot a 4-under 68 and was alone in third place heading into the weekend at the Masters.

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Professional golf returns to Gwinnett on frenetic schedule

Greater Gwinnett Championship came together in less than a year.

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Rain washes away G-Braves season opener

With a steady rain throughout the day and no promise of improving weather, the Gwinnett Braves decided early to push the team's Opening Day festivities off for one day, canceling Thursday's game against the Charlotte Knights at about 4 p.m.

Lefty prospect Gilmartin gets start for G-Braves

Carrying the same quiet and confident demeanor he brought with him after his promotion to Class AAA a season ago, Sean Gilmartin sat in front of his locker just more than 24 hours before he becomes the fifth Gwinnett Braves opening day pitcher.

Pop tops pitching in G-Braves first roster

Gwinnett Braves release season's first roster

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Meadowcreek finds early baseball success

Mustangs finding early baseball success this season.

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BOYS SWIMMER OF THE YEAR: Hawks' Powell still has 'room to grow'

HOSCHTON -- Chris Powell came to serious swimming later than most.. He started racing young, 6-years-old, but he stayed away from the year-round programs widely available in Gwinnett County for years. He swam in summer leagues, but he played football in eighth grade.. Not until Powell entered

Lakers' show familiar to Meeks

It's a different color scheme, but it certainly feels familiar to Jodie Meeks. In his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers, the former Norcross standout sees plenty of purple and gold in whatever arena he visits.

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GIRLS DIVER OF THE YEAR: Sachse learns from pride in final season

Looking at the past, Lexi Sachse sauntered into her final dive season carrying something more than confidence.

Mediate, Gwinnett both new to Champions Tour

For the Greater Gwinnett Championship, a start like Rocco Mediate's certainly seems in order.

Bronco girls, Hawk boys win 7 vs. 8 golf match

Brookwood's Allen, Mill Creek's Beard take low medal honors

Regions 7 and 8 meet in golf tourney

There are worse ways to spend a day off. With Gwinnett County scheduling one of its furlough days for a spring Monday for the second year in a row, Brookwood will again host a Region 7-AAAAAA vs. Region 8-AAAAAA golf tournament at Summit Chase Country Club.

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Seniors lead Wesleyan girls to sixth straight title

Wesleyan girls win sixth straight state title; program's 10th

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GAC's Swinton playing to honor his late father

NORCROSS -- It won't be the familiar seat, but it will still be empty.. Collin Swinton knows precisely the seat his father preferred in Greater Atlanta Christian's Long Forum. In four years on the varsity team he knew where to look when things went wrong. In that seat he found

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State title hopes abound for Gwinnett

Five teams travel to Macon chasing hoops titles after Final Four wins this past weekend

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North girls pull away from North Cobb

It's a strange venue and the highest of stakes, but in a week the most familiar of foes will meet once again.

Allred, Tanner spark Hawks girls past Dacula

Hawks girls avenge PK loss of a season ago

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Norcross, North girls win away from showdown

Don't get Shayla Cooper wrong, she understands this game is important.. But it wasn't just today's Class AAAAAA semifinal game against Langston Hughes that the Georgetown-bound Cooper looked toward after the Blue Devils dispatched Cherokee earlier this week.

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GAC's Tardy under more pressure in repeat bid

NORCROSS -- This year, there are no surprises.. Bailey Tardy showed up on the girls golf team at Greater Atlanta Christian a year ago relatively unknown. She had played some summer golf and in the small world her name was rising, but by the end of the high school season

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Buford grad Harris back on track

ATLANTA -- Melvin Harris didn't wait for the question. Like defenders the wide receiver attempts to make miss on the field, Harris tackled the looming issue of his career without prompting.. "Right now I am working on my character and working on building my self-esteem and confidence," the

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