GHC baseball eliminated at conference tourney

Georgia Highlands College baseball was knocked out of the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association conference tournament Wednesday in Albany with a pair of losses in the double-elimination event.

The Chargers lost an afternoon opening round game to East Georgia State CC 8-3 and fell in an evening elimination game to South Georgia State CC, 8-5. A four-run seventh inning for East Georgia broke open a one-run game in GHC’s first round loss. East Georgia also out hit the Chargers ten to three. In Wednesday night’s elimination game, Georgia Highlands carried a 5-3 lead into the seventh inning before South Georgia scored five runs over the final three frames to end the Chargers’ season. GHC relief pitcher Levi Ayers (0.1 IP, 1ER, 1H, 2BB) was tagged with the Game 1 loss to East Georgia. Ethan Underwood (2.1 IP, 3ER, 6H, 1BB, 1K), Stevie Szucs (2.2 IP, 0R, 1H, 2BB, 1K), Trace Twardoski (0.2 IP, 2R, 1ER, 0H, 2BB), Skylar McPhee (1 IP, 2R, 0ER, 2H), and Ryan Smithson (1 IP, 2BB) all pitched in the loss.

Dalton Rhadans (7 IP, 6R, 4ER, 8H, 3BB, 5K) suffered the pitching loss to South Georgia. Twardoski (1 IP, 1K) and Logan Ward (1 IP, 2ER, 2H) also worked from the bump.

Malik Spratling hit a two-run home run against East Georgia McPhee tripled. McPhee drove in a run with a hit and Bryson Horne added a hit.

Lavoisier Fisher led the Chargers against South Georgia with three hits including a double and one RBI. Horne had two hits. Parker Orr doubled home two runs. Spratling added a solo home run while Hunter Moody, Alex Marquand, Willis Kemp, and McPhee (RBI) had the other Chargers’ hits.

The GCAA Championship Tournament continues Thursday with top-seed Gordon State facing East Georgia at 12 noon. The loser of that game will play South Georgia in an elimination game at 3 p.m. The 3 p.m. survivor with play the 12 noon winner in the championship round of the double-elimination tournament Friday.

The Georgia Highlands season ends with a 29-25 record.