Chargers open GCAA playoffs as top seed

April 30, 2026

Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com

The Georgia Highlands College baseball team wrapped up regular season play on Thursday at Gordon State College with an 18-8 win in Barnesville.

The Chargers received home runs from Aidan Larkin, Wyatt Gatlin, and Ian Fullerton, and finished with twelve hits, but were aided by 19 walks issued by Gordon State pitchers.

GHC led 8-3 after three innings, and the host Highlanders narrowed the margin to 9-6 through five, before a six-run sixth inning by the Chargers put the game in their control.

Starting pitcher Noah McMahon was the first of nine pitchers used by Georgia Highlands in the regular season finale. He was credited with the win and improved to 8-2. Marshall Flowers, Ian Mihalopolous, Evan Doss, and Ty Jones each worked scoreless stints.

Larkin went 3-for-5, including a double, a homer, and six RBI to lead the offense. Mason Moore had two hits, including a double and two RBI. Seven other Chargers added one hit apiece.

Georgia Highlands completed the regular season with a 43-12 record. The Chargers were 23-5 in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association and finished nine games ahead of runner-up South Georgia State. 

GHC now turns its attention to the postseason, where the Chargers will be the top seed at the GCAA Championship Tournament on Tuesday through Thursday. It will be played at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton.

The conference tournament winner will host the Tennessee champion in a best-of-three series on May 12-14 for a berth in the NJCAA World Series.

CHARGERS SPLIT DH AT SOUTH GEORGIA STATE

On Tuesday, April 28, Georgia Highlands split a doubleheader at South Georgia State, dropping the opener 8-7 and winning the second game 13-2.

The host Hawks trailed 6-1 in the middle innings of the first game, but rallied for seven runs in the fifth through seventh innings and hit a walk-off home run to win.

The Chargers took control early in Tuesday’s second game, scoring eight runs in the first two innings. Matthew Perkins made the pitching start and went 4-1/3 innings for the win. He allowed just one earned run on six hits and one walk while striking out four. Reed Thursby struck out three, closing out 2-2/3 scoreless frames.

Mason Moore (home run, triple, seven RBI), Andrew Bishop (double, four RBI), and Aidan Larkin (triple, RBI) were the offensive leaders for the Chargers in the twinbill with four hits each.