Chargers eliminated at GCAA tourney

The 2016 season for the Georgia Highlands Chargers came to a close Friday morning in their third game of the GCAA tournament.

The Chargers fell to East Georgia State, 7-3.

In a game that was suspended from the night before after 7 and 1/2 innings, Georgia Highlands started Friday morning in the bottom of the eighth trailing 6-2 to East Georgia State.

The Chargers, facing elimination in the loser’s bracket game of the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association championship tournament managed a run in the eighth to narrow the margin to 6-3.

Brandon Etheridge scored after walking to open the inning. He had moved to second on a wild pitch and crossed the plate on a ground ball error off the bat of Mitch Burger.

East Georgia responded with a run in the top of the ninth and the Chargers went quietly in the ninth for a 7-3 final.

Relief pitchers Hunter Bragg and Daniel Overstreet closed out the final two innings for starting and winning pitcher, Payton Phillips. Phillips went seven innings on Thursday night, allowing only two runs on six hits and two walks.

Casey Collins (6 IP, 6R, 3ER, 5H, 3BB, 4K) was tagged with the loss for the Chargers. Colby Taylor and Blake Metivier worked shutout frames for GHC. Will Griffin yielded an unearned run on a pair of hits.

Daniel Gooden had three hits including a double for the Chargers. Devin Bilardello finished with a pair of hits. Jonathan White (RBI), Trenton Nutter, and Clint Tonini had the other GHC hits.

East Georgia State (27-28) advances in the loser’s bracket to face Gordon State Friday afternoon at 3:30pm. Only four teams now remain in the GCAA Tournament. The top two seeds, Darton State and South Georgia State are both unbeaten and play one another Friday at noon.

Georgia Highlands’ season ends with a 28-31 mark.