Gani one of five Chargers named to All-Conference team
The Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association softball coaches selected their All-Conference teams along with Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, and Coach of the Year for the 2019 season.
The Georgia Highlands College Chargers had three players named to the All-Conference First Team and two more to the GCAA All-Conference Second Team.
Former Cass standout Sierrah Gani led all hitters in the GCAA with a .463 batting average in 44 games. The sophomore hit one home run, drove in 42 runs, scored 27, and stole five bases.
GHC center fielder Mya Adams and right fielder Mallory Alford were also named to the First Team. Adams finished the year with a .367 batting average with 22 RBI and 25 stolen bases. Alford hit for a .380 average.
First baseman Lexi Palazzo and pitcher Haley Robinson of Georgia Highlands were named to the All-GCAA Second Team.
Two weeks ago, it appeared the Chargers had locked down another spot in the GCAA post season playoffs, but a clerical error was discovered by the Georgia Highlands’ athletic department that forced GHC to forfeit most of its games in 2019. Those forfeits turned a 25-19 overall record and 16-12 mark in conference play to a 2-42 season with a 1-27 conference mark. Only the top four conference teams qualify for the conference championship tournament May 3-4 in Locust Grove, so the Chargers’ season is over.
Sheila Jones, a spokesperson for the GHC athletic department and Athletic Director Phil Gaffney, released a media statement regarding the forfeitures.
"As soon as Georgia Highlands College discovered one of the members on the softball team was ineligible to play due to an issue in paperwork, GHC self-reported the mistake to the NJCAA and withdrew from the GCAA tournament. GHC’s athletics department has reached out to other teams across its division to inform them of this action. This will not have an impact on other individual player stats," the statement concludes.
ALL GCAA AWARDS GCAA Player of the Year: Taylor Layfield – ABAC GCAA Pitcher of the Year: Sarah Middleton - GMC GCAA Coach of the Year: Ashley Bunn - GMC First Team Infield Taylor Layfield- ABAC Sierrah Gani- GHC Emily Dansby- GMC Casey Sims- East Ga Kaedy Borst- GMC Outfield Alexis Meadows- ABAC Lindsey South- GMC Mya Adams- GHC Mallory Alford- GHC Pitchers Sarah Middleton- GMC Samantha Davis- ABAC Mackensie Poynter- GMC Catchers Ryla Christian- Andrew Kennedy Coffey- GMC DP/UT Cathleen Nugue - GMC Second Team Infield Lexi Palazzo- GHC Taylor Knight- West Ga Tech Breanna Lee- Gordon Sutton Bridges- ABAC Destiny Herrera- East Ga Outfield Hunter Meadows- GMC Abigail McIntosh- Andrew Taylor Morgan- East Ga Jordan Wells- East Ga Pitchers Haley Robinson- GHC Harlee Rewis- East Ga Kati Mills- West Ga Tech Catchers Hunter Lee- Gordon Reese Stalvey- East Ga DP/UT Mary Tillman- South Ga
