-
Mason Dawe relieves Konner Burrell on the mound during the region matchup against Apalachee. ZACH TAYLOR/Special
Habersham Central’s baseball team had some great moments this season on the way to a fantastic start, but the Raiders were eliminated from the playoff chase with losses in their last two contests.
The Raiders (14-15, 7-10 Region 8-6A) have a chance to finish on a high note with a .500 record when Lanier comes to Raider Park at 5:55 p.m. Wednesday. It will be the last game for nine Raider seniors.
“It is certainly disappointing to not make it into the postseason especially after the great start that we had to the season. Ultimately, we just didn’t play our best baseball down the stretch when it mattered most,” Raiders coach Chris Akridge said. “I’m disappointed and our guys are disappointed, as we had high expectations for this season and had worked toward that goal of getting back into the postseason for a long time with this group.”
Habersham lost a pitchers’ duel Monday night at region-leading North Forsyth, 2-0. Both Konner Burrell and Maverick Chitwood pitched well to keep the Raiders in the game, but they were unable to get any offense going.
Habersham fell 5-1 at Raider Park on Friday to Jackson County, though the Panthers were the home team because the game was moved to a better-drained field after recent rain. The Raiders fell behind 4-0 early and had a chance to get back in it with bases loaded in the third, but they could not cash in the opportunity. Mason Dawe had the lone RBI.
Akridge said he is proud of his team and the way they carried themselves this season.
“I think that the legacy of this team, especially this group of seniors, is raising expectations for our program,” Akridge said. “There have been seasons when a .500 record at this point in the year would have been something to celebrate, but we’re not content with that at this point. This group has resisted the trap of being content and complacent and I’m very proud of them for that.
“To be clear, I’m not disappointed at all with the effort, attitude or commitment of this group. I’m disappointed that the outcome wasn’t what I felt like this group deserved, especially this group of seniors. I’m proud of the way that they’ve raised the bar and set higher expectations which is a big step for our program. I love this team.”
Habersham’s seniors include Alex Nava, Blandon Grizzle, Mason Dawe, Cody Thomas, Dan Griswold, Logan Kay, Cooper Shirley, Canon Wilbanks and Hunter Tatum.