Tigers Split With Gordon State; Stay One Game Back of Highlanders

BARNESVILLE, Ga. -- The Andrew College baseball team took on Gordon State on Saturday in Barnesville, GA, romping to a 9-6 win in game one, then dropped the nightcap 7-2. The split maintained their hold on 3rd place in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCAA), just one game back of 2nd place Gordon, and three games ahead of 4th place East Georgia State. The doubleheader ends the regular season schedule against Gordon, leaving four games with 5th place South Georgia State this week, and four more with East Ga, the following week, to wrap up regular season play in the GCAA,  Seeding for the 2021 GCAA (NJCAA Region 17) Baseball Championships, which begin May 3rd, are still up for grabs.

The Tigers jumped on the Highlander starter in game one, taking an early 5-0 lead, then needed closer Chandler Griggs to nail down his GCAA-leading 5th save, in the 9th inning, to wrap up the 9-6 victory. Starter Dalton Harrell tossed 8 strong innings, fanning 2 to earn his 3rd win of the season. Jacob Pierce paced the offense, going 3 for 4, while doubling, belting his team-leading 8th homer of the year, scoring twice and driving in 3 runs, Kaleb Podger went 2 for 5 with a run scored, and an RBI, Jack Hay roped a homer and drove in 2 runs, Jonathan Manibusan singled in a run, and Blake Falor went 3 for 5 in the 12-hit Tiger attack.   

The Tigers could manage just 4 hits in game two, with Manibusan and JT Whatley each doubling in a run.

The four-game series this week with South Georgia State, away on Tuesday, and home on Saturday, will match the Tigers against a team they swept on March 23rd in Douglas, cruising to a 10-5 game one win, before rallying from four runs down, with five runs in the top of the 7th inning, for the 12-11 victory. The Tuesday doubleheader will be in Douglas. First pitch is at 2:00 pm.