BARNESVILLE, Ga. – Despite two weather delays totaling an hour and some of both games played in a steady rain, No. 1 seed Gordon State College pulled off a 9-0, 6-5 doubleheader sweep of No. 4 seed East Georgia State College in the semifinals of the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCAA) / NJCAA Region 17 postseason tournament here Tuesday.
GSC, a winner of eight straight games, advances to Friday's GCAA championship series and will face the winner of No. 2 seed Georgia Military College or No. 3 seed Georgia Highlands College.
Starting time for Game 1 is 4 p.m. at Strong Rock Christian School in Locust Grove, Ga. and Game 2 will follow approximately 30 after the conclusion of the opening contest.
If necessary, a winner-take-all Game 3 will be played on Saturday, May 15 at Noon ET.
GSC (34-11 overall) had no trouble with EGSC in the opener on Tuesday as the Highlanders jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning and then added on with two runs in the third and three more in the fifth to close out the victory.
Taylor McClendon (McDonough, Ga. / Ola HS) homered during a 2-for-3 day at the plate that netted two RBI, two runs scored and a walk for GSC.
Chandler Mitchell (Forsyth, Ga. / Locust Grove HS) also went 2-for-3 with three RBI and crossed home once while Claire Williams (Conyers, Ga. / Heritage HS) and Makenzie English (Williamson, Ga. / Pike Co. HS) each had two hits for the 10-hit Highlanders' attack.
Camden Steele (Jackson, Ga. / Union Grove HS) also had a two-run single for GSC.
Faith Hager (Conyers, Ga. / Heritage HS) improved to 18-6 in the circle with a one-hit shutout that produced five strikeouts and no walks.
Game 2 saw a totally different scenario as EGSC took a 3-1 after an inning of play, but GSC chipped away and eventually tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the fifth.
After EGSC pushed across a run in the bottom of the fifth, GSC answered right back with a single tally in the top of the sixth to tie the game again at 4-4.
GSC finally grabbed a 7-5 lead in the top of the seventh on a two-run double from Jordyn Dobson (McDonough, Ga. / Union Grove HS), whose line shot made it inside the third base and into the left field corner.
EGSC (30-27) wouldn't go quietly in the bottom of the seventh as the Bobcats plated a run to cut the margin to one and had the tying run on base and the winning run at home plate twice.
But a pair of deep fly balls to center and right sealed the deal for GSC and booked a spot for the Highlanders in the GCAA championship series.
Hager came on in relief in the bottom of the first and eventually worked all seven innings to get her 19th win of the season.
The sophomore right-hander faced 31 Bobcats and allowed two runs – one earned – on nine hits while walking two, but struck out seven with many of those coming at critical times in a tight game.
GSC also got big run-producing hits from Breanna Lee (Concord, Ga. / Pike Co. HS), Abby Foster (McDonough, Ga. / Ola HS), McClendon and Williams.
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The Gordon State College Department of Athletics is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCAA). Gordon State College competes in NJCAA Division I in the sports of Women's Soccer (Fall), Men's Basketball (Fall/Spring), Softball (Spring) and Baseball (Spring). Gordon State College is located in Barnesville, Ga., approximately 60 miles south of Atlanta and 35 miles northwest of Macon. Gordon State College offers both two-year and four-year degree programs and believes that our Athletics program provides student-athletes with the opportunity to be successful academically, athletically and in life after their time as a Highlander. Follow GSC Athletics at www.gscathletics.com, on Facebook (@Gordon State Highlanders) and Twitter (@state_ad / GordonStateAD). You can also follow Gordon State College on Facebook (@GordonStateCollege #GSCHighlandersForward), Twitter (@GordonState) and Instagram (gordon_state).