Eighth inning rally lifts Chargers to conference win

Georgia Highlands College rallied with a four-run eighth inning Saturday afternon and a come-from-behind conference win over Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College at LakePoint in Emerson. The visiting Stallions scored two runs in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth inning to take a 5-1 lead, but the Chargers completed the comeback with a run in the seventh and four runs in the eighth.

GHC pitcher Logan Ward (photo) struck out the side in the top of the ninth to preserve the win and record his sixth save of the year. Malik Spratling and Keith Lyle both had two hits and two RBIs for the Chargers. Skylar McPhee finished with a hit and one RBI. Hunter Moody, Blake Brady, Travis Sands, and Bryson Horne added one hit each in the victory.

Anthony Reneo needed only four pitches to record the final out of the eighth inning and received credit for the pitching win. He followed starter Dalton Rhadans (5 IP, 5ER, 8H) and middle reliever Trace Twardoski (2.2 IP, 0R, 2H, 1K).

ABAC’s Tate Knight homered and doubled to lead the Stallions’ offense. Gunner George, Austin Hittinger, and Zac Hill also had two hits each. With the loss, ABAC is now 7-13 overall and 1-2 in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association. Georgia Highlands (14-8, 2-1) is scheduled for a doubleheader with the Stallions Sunday at 2 p.m. at LakePoint.