Chargers maintain hold on second place in conference behind Norton's gem

Georgia Highlands College starting pitcher Matthew Norton did not need a lot of offense out of his teammates Friday afternoon, but he received plenty in an 11-0 win at West Georgia Tech in Carrollton.

Norton tossed a complete game three-hitter and shutout the Knights. He needed only 89 pitches in nine innings. He walked two, hit one batter and struck out six. West Georgia Tech never had a baserunner reach second base.

GHC scored single runs in the second and fourth innings to take a 2-0 lead, added three more runs in the fifth for a 5-0 advantage, and rounded out their scoring with six more runs over the final two frames for their 11-0 decision.

Matt Vaccaro had three hits including a double and four RBIs to lead the Chargers’ attack. Nick Fink had one RBI and three hits. Caleb McElwaney collected a pair of hits. John White (2 RBIs), Grant Bodison (RBI), and Devin Bilardello (double) added one hit apiece.

West Georgia Tech falls to 22-30 overall and 8-14 in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association with the loss.

Georgia Highlands (36-18, 13-9) is currently in second place in the GCAA — only one game ahead of third place ABAC with two games remaining. East Georgia has clinched the regular season conference title with a 16-8 mark. The Chargers and Knights conclude the regular season Saturday with a doubleheader in Carrollton.

Georgia Highlands will host the GCAA Championship Tournament next Wednesday through Saturday at LakePoint Sports in Emerson.