Georgia Highlands wins second consecutive GCAA title

May 8, 2025 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com

Georgia Highlands College baseball won the 2025 Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association title on Thursday with a 10-7 victory over the Gordon State Highlanders.

The bottom portion of the Chargers’ lineup came up big in the victory, producing seven of Georgia Highlands’ nine hits, four walks, eight runs, and four RBI.

The Highlanders scored two runs in the first inning to take an early lead, but the Chargers grabbed their initial lead with three runs in the second. GHC scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to go ahead 7-2, but Gordon State cut that advantage to 7-5 in the top of the seventh. Three more runs by the Chargers in the bottom of the seventh made it 10-5, and GHC held on from there.

Kaiden Krak made the pitching start for Georgia Highlands and picked up the win. He allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits and four walks in 6-⅓ innings. Jackson Greer wrapped up the final 2-⅔ innings. Greer allowed two earned runs on three hits and had five strikeouts.

Caden Marcos went 3-for-3 with a home run, a walk, and three RBI in the ninth position in the batting order. He scored two runs. Tyler Phillips doubled and homered in the seventh spot of the order. Ian Fullerton and Wyatt Gatlin also added hits from the sixth and eighth spots in the order. The quartet at the bottom of the Chargers’ order also reached base four times on a walk.

Kenskey Thomas (two RBI) and Ryan Martin (RBI) added one hit and one walk.

The loss ended the season for Gordon State with a 32-26 record.

Chargers celebrate their conference title around coach Dash O'Neill.

Georgia Highlands (45-10) won the GCAA regular season and championship tournament for a second consecutive season. The win gives GHC three titles in the last four years. The Chargers will carry a nine-game win streak into the NJCAA Appalachian District Championship Series.

They will play the best-of-three series next Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at Walters State, the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association champion, in Morristown, Tennessee.

The Appalachian District winner advances to the NJCAA World Series May 29-June 5 in Grand Junction, Colorado.

CHARGERS WELL REPRESENTED ON THE ALL-REGION TEAM

Coach of the Year — Dash O’Neill

Pitcher of the Year — Max Eichenberger

First Team Infielder — Grayson Godbee

First Team Outfielder — Ryan Martin

First Team Outfielder — Kenskey Thomas

First Team Catcher and Gold Glove Team — Tyler Phillips

First Team Pitcher — Andrew Arnold

Second Team Infielder — Andrew Bishop

Second Team Pitcher — Kaiden Krak

Gold Glove Team Shortstop — Caden Marcos