Highland's softball traveled down to Albertville, Alabama over the weekend to face tough competition in the Sand Mountain Classic. The weekend included four games versus Snead State, Pearl River, a rematch with Southern Union, and Chattanooga State.
Game one featured a strong performance from Gracee Ellis in the circle. Ellis competed all seven innings allowing seven hits, three earned runs, while striking out a season high of seven batters. Charger's Defense had Ellis's back in game one by not allowing a single error in seven innings of play. Haley Robinson led the offense hitting 2-4 at the plate with two hits including a double, a walk, and an RBI. Madison Dennis, Annsley Todd, and Katie Traynor also collected singles in the seven frames. Audrey Johnson collected a Sacrifice fly RBI. Finally, with the game tied 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Malone Aldridge called game with a sac fly to right field to score Annsley Todd. Final score was 3-4 with a Charger Victory.
Game two on Friday featured a slow start for the Charger offense as Pearl River scored two runs in the first two innings. The Charger's answer with a run in the top of the third as Madison Dennis doubled to center field to score Annsley Todd. Pearl River scored another run in the bottom of the third frame to make the score 1-3. No runs were scored again until the top of the sixth when Kyndal brown scored Hailey Cronic on a hard hit through the 5-6 hole. The Wildcats answered with two more runs in the bottom of the frame to make it 2-5. In their last chance to bat, the Chargers manage to score one more run as Hailey Cronic scores Madison Dennis on a single. However, it was not enough to overcome the Wildcat's lead, and game two ends in a score of 3-5.
Haley Robinson had two doubles in the game, along with a walk. Malone Aldridge and Taylor Justice both hit 2-4 at the plate with two singles. Annsley Todd also collected a single. Maggie Schandera started in the circle throwing three full innings. Schandera allowed four hits, two earned runs, while striking out one of the Wildcats. Katie Traynor came in to finish on the mound allowing six hits, one earned run, while striking out two of the Wildcats.
Game one on Saturday featured a rematch with the Lady Bison of Southern Union. Earlier in the season, the Chargers split with the Lady Bison in a double-header matchup at home. In this game, the Charger offense struck first scoring two runs in the top of the third inning. Hailey Cronic tripled to right field to score Haley Overton, and Haley Robinson scored Cronic with a single to center field. The Lady Bison answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame. Highland's offense scored again in the top of the fourth inning as Audrey Johnson scored Taylor Justice with a single to right field, making the score 3-1. Hailey Cronic scores another run in the top of the sixth inning with a single to centerfield to score Taylor Justice, making the score 4-1. Southern Union answers with one run in the bottom of the sixth frame, but it is not enough to overcome the Charger's lead. Georgia Highlands takes the game with a final score of 4-2.
Hailey Cronic batted 3-4 in the game with a triple, two singles, and two RBIs. Haley Robinson and Audrey Johnson tallied two singles as well as an RBI a piece. Taylor Justice tallied a triple in the game. Malone Aldridge and Haley Overton both contributed singles for the Charger offense. The Charger defense did not commit a single error in the seven frames. Haley Robinson started in the circle, and in four innings allowed three hits, one earned run, while striking out one of the Lady Bison. Katie Traynor contributed two innings allowing just two hits and one earned run. Maggie Schandera finished the game in the circle throwing one inning and allowing only one hit.
In the final game of the weekend, the Chargers took on the Tigers of Chattanooga State who are currently ranked 12th in NJCAA rankings nationwide. Grace Ellis started in the circle for the Chargers holding the Tigers scoreless until the fourth inning of the game. The Chargers offense struck first in the game scoring two runs in the top of the fourth as Malone Aldridge draws a bases loaded walk to score Madison Dennis. Kyndal Brown also was hit by a pitch with bases loaded to score Hailey Cronic. Chattanooga State scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, and the Chargers quickly answered with four runs in the top of the fifth frame. Haley Robinson cranks one up the middle to score Hailey Cronic for one run, Bradey Tharp doubles to right field to score Haley Robinson, Kyndal Brown doubled to center field to score Bradey Tharp, and Allison Deweese singled to center field to score Kyndal brown making the score 6-2. However, the Tigers answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth frame, three in the bottom of the sixth, and walked it off with a bases loaded single to win the game in the bottom of the seventh. Final score of game four, 6-7 Chattanooga State win.
Gracee Ellis pitched six innings of the game allowing eight hits, five earned runs, while striking out one. Maggie Schandera finished in the circle allowing three hits and one earned run. At the plate, Hailey Cronic was a perfect 3-3 with a double, two singles, and a walk. Allison Deweese and Bradey Tharp both went 2-4 with a double, a single, and one RBI. Haley Robinson went 2-4 at the plate with two singles and an RBI. Kyndal Brown collected a double and two RBIs. Malone added an RBI single. Madison Dennis and Annsley Todd both contributed a single apiece in the seven frames.
The Chargers of Georgia Highlands will be back in action at home Tuesday, March 1st. The double-header will feature a rematch with Chattanooga State. Be sure to come support out at Star's field or watch online at Chargers Sports Network Via YouTube.