Vidalia Indians Battle Gordon Lee In Championship Series
The seventh-ranked Vidalia High School Indians pushed the top-ranked Gordon Lee Trojans to the absolute brink, but ultimately came up short in the GHSA Class A Division 1 State Championship.
In a grueling best-of-three series held Friday and Saturday at Synovus Park in Columbus, the Indians settled for a state runner-up finish after splitting a Friday doubleheader and dropping the decisive third game. Vidalia, who entered the series peaking at the right time with a 29-10 record, was looking for redemption against a 36-2 Trojans team that ended their playoff run in last season's Final Four.
Game 1
The opening game of the series on Friday was a drag-out fight that stretched into the 10th inning. The story of the game for Vidalia was an absolute masterpiece on the mound by senior Veer Patel. Patel tossed eight innings, surrendering just three hits while striking out an incredible 16 batters. The Indians backed him early, taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning after an RBI from Clay Mimbs and a Gordon Lee error.
The Trojans finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth, plating two runs to tie the game at 2-2. Both pitching staffs traded zeroes from the sixth through the ninth inning, sending the game deep into extras. The stalemate ended in the bottom of the 10th when continued from page
Gordon Lee loaded the bases, and a Vidalia hitby- pitch forced in the winning run for a 3-2 Trojans victory.
Game 2
Facing elimination in Game 2, Vidalia went on a tear, rolling to a dominant 10-0 run-rule victory in five innings to keep their season alive. The offense jumped out early once again, scoring two in the first inning on a fielder's choice from Mimbs and an RBI single by Eli Cleghorn.
The Indians then blew the game wide open in the bottom of the third, erupting for eight runs. Following a bases-loaded walk by Jake McCaw, Eion Ryals ripped a tworun double. Two costly Trojan errors and another bases-loaded walk to Mimbs kept the line moving, and Cleghorn capped the surge with another RBI single to make it 100.
On the mound, Banks Hopkins handled the rest, picking up the win by tossing a complete fiveinning shutout. He allowed just three hits and struck out six to force Saturday's winner- take- all Game 3.
Game 3
In the Saturday finale, Vidalia grabbed the early momentum but could not find the offense needed to secure the championship. Senior Caden Nance, playing through an injury, gutted out an RBI double in the top of the first inning to give the Indians a 1-0 lead. Unfortunately, that would stand as Vidalia's only hit of the contest.
The Gordon Lee pitching staff shut down the Indians' lineup over the final six innings, while their offense finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth. An RBI triple followed by an RBI single gave the Trojans a 3-1 advantage. Vidalia continued to battle, but the bats remained quiet as Gordon Lee held on to take the win and the state title.
While the season ended one win shy of the ultimate goal, it was an impressive campaign for the Indians. Vidalia will graduate six seniors who were instrumental in back-to-back deep playoff runs, but they return a solid core of talent that will be hungry to make another run at the championship next spring.
Caden Nance picks up an RBI double in the deciding third game of the Championship series. Nance was playing with a bad injury to his leg, but never quit fighting.Photo by Pop-Pop’s Photos
