With their non conference schedule in the books, the Chargers hosted the Andrew College Tigers in their GCAA opener on Tuesday. Johnny Dow took the ball for game one versus the Tigers and the big right hander came out firing. Dow stymied Andrew's hitters for 8 innings, scattering 9 hits and allowing 2 runs while fanning 11 hitters en route to a 4-2 victory. Chase Townsend pitched a perfect ninth inning to convert his first save of the season, sealing the deal for GHC. On the other side of the ball, the Chargers used the longball to do most of their damage. Joe Sutton hammered two solo shots deep over the left field wall (and had 4 hits in the game) and Trace Twardoski added a big fly of his own in a game where Coach O'Neill said hard contact was common, but base hits were not. "I felt like we really hit the ball hard for most of the ballgame, but it was just one of those days where nothing seems to fall in. Fortunately, we had a few land where no one could catch them and that turned out to be the difference."
The nightcap did not start off well for GHC and starter Jacob Ryan who was touched up for 2 runs in each of the first two innings of the game. Ryan finally settled into a groove in the third inning and took over the game, eventually going the distance and allowing only one additional run over the final five innings. The win was Ryan's second of the season, and he would finish with 8 strike outs, 2 walks, and 5 runs on 7 hits. If it took Jacob Ryan a couple of innings to get settled in, it took the offense a little more to get started. The Charger offense was held scoreless through 4 innings before finally stringing together rallies in the fifth and sixth innings. Mick Moody hit a solo home run with two out in the fifth to get the Chargers on the board and then Omar Daniels hammered a triple to right center and scored on an RBI single by Brandon Prince. Connor Todaro picked up the first of five hits in the sixth inning as GHC pushed 4 runs across. David Smith, Ben Olson, and Mick Moody picked up RBI's in the inning and the Chargers came from behind to win the game 6-5.
GHC is now 23-3 on the year and 2-0 in GCAA play. They will host East Georgia on Tuesday for a 2PM GCAA doubleheader.