MONTGOMERY — Athens Bible School will meet Providence Christian of Dothan at 4 p.m. today in the first of a three- game series to determine the Class 1A state baseball champion.

“They are in the state finals with us, so they must be good,” Athens Bible School coach Bill Murrell said Monday about his upcoming opponent. “They beat Brantley 10-9 in the third game of their semifinal series Saturday.”

Murrell, who has coached the Trojans to four state runner-ups since he took over the program in 1973, said his team this year “refuses to die.”

ABS (27-5) is looking for its first state baseball championship. Providence Christian will bring a 19-14 record to Paterson Field.

“We’ve been close (to a state championship) four times, but we’ve never won it,” Murrell said. ABS was state runner-up to G.W. Long in 2000, 2001 and 2002. The Trojans also were the state runner-up in 1980.

Game two is scheduled for 4 p.m. Wednesday with a third game set to follow if needed.

Haleyville 4,

East Limestone 2

In Haleyville, the Indians came close, but fell 4-2 in the semifinals.

The Lions scored three runs in the first inning and held on to beat the Indians. Haleyville will play Jackson for the state championship beginning Wednesday.

East Limestone (30-6) got three hits to load the bases with one out in the fourth inning. A run scored when Daniel Tucker was hit with a pitch to cut the lead to 3-1. But East could not score again in the inning.

The Indians threatened in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings but stranded seven runners. Tucker batted in the other East Limestone run with a single in the sixth inning.