Harlem baseball sweeps Ringgold, clinches GHSA 3A state championship
ROME, Ga. — Harlem baseball swept Ringgold in a Friday doubleheader to earn the Georgia High School Association 3A state championship.
It was Harlem's first state title since 1986 and sixth of the Jimmie Lewis era. The Bulldogs made it through each round of the postseason without a loss, sweeping all five series. Even then, Harlem had to erase deficits in both games against the Tigers.
Lewis and Company were never in doubt.
“This crowd right here, I’ll tell you, they never think they’re out of it," he said. "I don’t know whether they’re just crazy or what, but they didn’t think they were out of it. They were going to battle back and win it and they did. They’re a special group of young men."
Senior shortstop Tryston McCladdie is very much the heart and soul of this Harlem team. The Clemson baseball signee also served as the sparkplug Friday, being right in the middle of both comebacks.
"I'm just blessed to be here," he said. "We've worked so hard for this moment and we did the best we could and that's all I can ask for."
Lewis estimated 300-or-so Harlem fans followed the Bulldogs to Pike County in the semifinals. There was easily double that at AdventHealth Stadium Friday.
"They're the best fans in America," Lewis said. "They followed us everywhere and that means something when you go out on a ballfield and you've got 200 or 300 people there, screaming for you. They really supported us."
Harlem baseball clinches GHSA state title Game 2
Sophomore Will Holder went the distance on the mound in the 2-1, series-clinching win.
Holder took control of the game after allowing a Ringgold run in the first frame. The sophomore followed that with six scoreless innings, adding a sacrifice fly for the go-ahead run after Ringgold intentionally walked McCladdie to load the bases.
In a feat of heroics, Holder faced a bases-loaded, nobody-out jam in the top of the sixth. A strikeout and 1-2-3 double play later, the lead was intact and the third-generation Holder cemented himself in Columbia County baseball history with a story that will be told for years to come.
"I really didn't come out with my best stuff tonight. Offspeed I was having trouble locating, I was kind of getting amped up a little bit, but I ended up bringing it back together," Holder said. "My head was racing and my heart was racing, but I just had to stay calm. If you overthink, then you're not getting the outs there."
Harlem trailed 1-0 heading into the bottom of the 4th until McCladdie went deep to right field, something that likely directly led to the free pass in the next inning.
"I was just trying to get on for my teammates, because I know whenever I get on, we're going to start a rally and that's what happened," he said. "I just got a good pitch I could handle, and I did something with it."
Harlem comeback in Game 1
Harlem entered the seventh trailing 3-2, but scored three times to take a 5-2 lead and steal the series opener.
Shane Wheeless drove in the go-ahead run and locked up player-of-the-game honors in the process. He finished 2-for-3 at the plate with three runs batted in, along with a couple of stellar defensive plays in right field. "I came up and got down 0-2 early, swung at a couple of bad pitches," Wheeless said. "But God was on my side and let me bloop one over the shortstop's head. All glory to God on that one."
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Harlem baseball sweeps Ringgold in GHSA 3A state championship
