Chargers win conference tourney opener

May 6, 2026

Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com

The Georgia Highlands College baseball team won its first game of the 2026 Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association conference tournament on Tuesday in Tifton. The Chargers defeated Gordon State 5-3.

GHC scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning on just one hit. The inning also included two walks, a hit batter, a sacrifice fly, and a passed ball, making the score 2-0.

In the fourth inning, Caden Marcos homered to give the Chargers a 3-0 lead.

Gordon State’s Hunter Chiappetta homered in the fifth inning to put the Highlanders on the scoreboard, and an RBI single by Devin Elsenpeter made the score 3-2.

Marcos doubled to lead off the sixth inning for Georgia Highlands and moved to third on a passed ball. He then scored on a groundout by Aidan Larkin to give the Chargers a two-run cushion.

The Highlanders again cut the margin to one in the top of the seventh on a Chiappetta double, followed by a groundout and a passed ball.

With three singles loading the bases in the bottom of the seventh, Wyatt Gatlin’s sacrifice fly secured a 5-3 victory for the Chargers.

Marcos, who hit a home run and a double, along with Emiliano Dominguez, each had two hits to lead the Chargers’ offense. Kenton Collier, Mason Moore (who had a sacrifice fly and an RBI), and Carson Page each contributed one hit. Larkin and Savage added one RBI each.

David McKechnie (5.2 innings, 2 earned runs, 5 hits, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts) started for GHC and worked into the sixth inning to earn the win. Braxton Wade pitched 3.1 innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits with three strikeouts, and earned a save.

Georgia Highlands (44-12) will face South Georgia State (33-24) in the second round of the tournament on Wednesday afternoon. The Hawks defeated Andrew College 8-3 in their opener on Tuesday. The loser of the Georgia Highlands/South Georgia State game will play an elimination game on Wednesday evening, while the winner will advance to the championship round.