Chargers Take Both Ends of GCAA Doubleheader

For the first time this season, the Chargers hit the road when they travelled to play a GCAA doubleheader at South Georgia State on Saturday.  In game one the Chargers took advantage of being on offense first, scoring a pair of runs in the opening frame, and they never looked back.  Scoring in every inning except the fifth, GHC would plate 15 runs before it was all said and done.  The Chargers pounded out 21 hits in total, led by David Smith who picked up 5 hits and Connor Todaro who tallied 4.  Trace Twardoski had a big game as well, driving in 5 runs, while Joe Sutton, Palmer Sapp, and Trenton Parker each collected multi-hit games.  Johnny Dow was dominant on the mound for GHC, throwing his second complete game shutout of 2021.  Dow threw just 76 pitches in 7 innings and scattered 4 hits while striking out 8 in his 4th win of the season.

While the first game of the day was never in question, the nightcap was loaded with drama going back and forth the whole way.  South Georgia would start the scoring in game 2, plating a run in the first inning on a pair of hits off GHC starter Jacob Ryan.  The Chargers responded on the top of the second with by scoring 3 runs on 4 hits to take the lead.  The score would not remain 3-1 for long as the Hawks put up 2 more runs in the bottom of the third to tie the score at 3-3.  After a scoreless fourth, the Chargers got back on top when Connor Todaro hit a lead-off single, advanvanced to second on a ball in the dirt, stole third, and scored on a Palmer Sapp single.  The South Georgia leadoff man opened the bottom of the fifth with a double and the Hawks tied the game for a second time when he scored on an RBI single from the three hole hitter.  Both teams reached base in the sixth inning, but neither was able to score, setting the stage for Connor Todaro to lead off the seventh inning with another base hit.  A Joe Sutton base hit bunt put runners on first and second for the Chargers and Trace Twardoski sacrificed them over to second and third.  Palmer Sapp followed with an RBI ground out to once again put GHC on top.  With the score now 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh, the Hawks reached base on a walk and advanced all the wall to third on a wild pitch that GHC catcher Ben Olson lost sight of.  South Georgia used an RBI ground out of their own to knot the game back up at 5-5 heading into the final two frames.  With one out in the top of the eighth, Olson took his turn at the plate and launched a solo, go-ahead home run over the left field wall to put the Chargers in front for good.  Matthew Silka threw a scoreless eighth to hold the Hawks in check and Connor Todaro led off the ninth with a double before scoring on a Joe Sutton single.  Chase Townsend came on for his second relief appearance of the season and sat South Georgia down in order to pick up his second save of the year. 

Georgia Highlands moves to 25-3 on the season and 4-0 in GCAA competition.  They will host ABAC at home on Tuesday at 3pm in another GCAA doubleheader.