Chargers sweep Saturday doubleheader with ABAC

Natalia Herrera hit a walk-off solo home run in the first game and the Chargers’ offense erupted for thirteen hits in the second game as the Georgia Highlands College softball team swept Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in a doubleheader Saturday at Stars Field, 5-4 and 9-1.

Natalia Herrera smacked a walk-off home run in Game 1 Saturday as the Chargers swept a doubleheader with visiting ABAC.

With the opener tied 4-4 going to the home half of the seventh, Herrera led off the inning with a line drive home run over the center field fence to lift the Chargers. It was her second home run of the game. She also belted a two-run homer in the fifth that gave GHC a 4-3 lead at the time.

Georgia Highlands held leads of 1-0 through three innings and 4-3 through the fifth, but the visiting Fillies tied the game in the sixth inning on a bases loaded RBI single by Kelsey Taft.

Madalyn Morton picked up the pitching win after striking out the side in the top of the seventh. Montana Ledbetter went the first six innings in the circle for the Chargers. Ledbetter allowed four earned runs on six hit and six walks. She struck out nine.

In addition to Herrera’s offensive production, Madison Bennett and Hailey Cronic had two hits each. Halie Walther drove in a run with one hit and Izzy Marcotte added a base hit for the Chargers.

In the second game of the day, GHC pitcher Maggie Schandera scattered four hits and a walk during five innings in the circle. The lone ABAC run was in the top of the fifth on a solo shot by Tristen Blocker. Schandera then induced a groundout and struck out her third Fillies batter to end the game.

Herrera had two hits including a double and one RBI. Marcotte and Lacey Rutledge also had two hits and one RBI. Annsley Todd finished with two hits.

Walther contributed one hit and two RBIs. Alexis Poole and Brady Tharp tossed in one hit and one RBI each. Taryn Hitchcock and Bennett added one hit apiece.

The losses dropped ABAC to 6-14 for the year and 2-7 in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association.

Georgia Highlands (8-13, 3-3) has a conference home doubleheader with conference-leading Gordon College Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Stars Field in Cassville.