Georgia Highlands drops first game of series with visiting Sinclair CC

Brandon Bell doubled in the fifth inning and reached base four times for Georgia Highlands College, but the Chargers lost the first game of their series with Sinclair CC 7-5 Friday night at LakePoint in Emerson.

The Chargers opened the scoring in the first on a double by former Cass standout, Brandon Etheridge (pictured), followed by a Zach McCrum single and a Daniel Gooden RBI single.

Sinclair answered in the second by scoring twice on an error and, from that point, never trailed.

GHC closed the deficit to 4-2 in the fifth, but the visiting Tartan Pride added single runs in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings to push their lead to 7-2.

The Chargers scored three times in the bottom of the ninth, but the rally fell short. Etheridge and Tristan Roberts drove in the Highlands’ runs.

GHC starter, Bryan Quillens (4 IP, 4H, 4R, 2ER, 5BB, 3K), suffered the pitching loss. Tahnner Thomson, Blake Metivier, and Dalton Isley saw mound time for the Chargers. Brody Basilone was the winning pitcher for Sinclair.

It was the season opener for the Tartan Pride (1-0), Georgia Highlands season record falls to 10-6. The two teams play a doubleheader Saturday (Feb. 27) starting at 1pm at LakePoint.