THREEPEAT!!! Chargers Come Through With Walk Off Win!!!

For the third year in a row and the fourth time in five years, the Georgia Highlands Baseball Team has won the NJCAA Region 17 Championship.  The Chargers won the opening game of the tournament 5-3 over Gordon State on the strength of solid pitching performances by David McKechnie and Braxton Wade.  GHC looked like they might run the table in game two when they jumped out to an early 5-0 lead over South Georgia State, but a few defensive miscues cost the Chargers the lead, and eventually, the game as they fell 9-5.  Fighting from the loser's bracket, Highlands exploded for a 12-2 run rule victory over Gordon State to earn their way back to the championship game against South Georgia.  The Chargers would have to beat the Hawks twice on Friday, and that's exactly what they did.  Gutsy pitching performances on short rest by Matthew Perkins, Noah McMahon, Braxton Wade, and Jack Burns allowed the Chargers to outlast the Hawks 8-7 in game one of the Championship.  Aidan Larkin hit a grand slam to pace the offense, and the win forced the "If" game. 

GHC surged out to an 8-0 lead in the first four innings of the final game, and Reed Thursby held SGSC at bay, but the Hawks refused to go down easy.  South Georgia hit six home runs over the course of three innings to tie the game at 8-8 after seven innings.  Heath Whitlock, who suffered the loss against South earlier in the tournament came on to relieve Evan Doss, and the sophomore lefty threw three scoreless innings before turning the ball over to Jack Burns who made his second appearance of the day and the third in the tournament.  Burns shut down a Hawks threat in the tenth, and the Chargers finally broke through.  Andrew Bishop started the bottom of the tenth with a hard single into left field, but was forced out at second on Mason Moore's fielder's choice.  TJ Sunderhaus came on to run for Moore, and a walk to Carson Page put him and the winning run into scoring position.  Redshirt freshman Gavin Savage then lined a 2-0 pitch down the left field line to score Sunderhaus giving the Chargers a dramatic, walk off win.

The Chargers will host the champion of region 7 out of Tennessee in the Appalachian District Championship next week at Robert Bentley Field.  The best two out of three series is scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 1pm.  The winner of the series will represent the Appalachian District in the JUCO World Series the following week.