STATESBORO, Ga. (WSAV) – The Metter Tigers defeated Charlton County, 3-0, on Wednesday to repeat as the GHSA Class A-Public state champs.
Starting pitcher Rustan Rigdon put forth a stellar effort for the Tigers, delivering a complete game shutout against a baffled Charlton County lineup. No Charlton runner even advanced as far as third base all game long.
Metter did not have much better luck for most of the game; it took until the sixth inning for the Tigers to push across their first run of the day. With runners on first and second base, junior Kaliq Jordan lofted a high fly ball to left field. As the Charlton leftfielder backpedaled, he lost the ball in the sun, letting it drop to the ground for a double that scored Reco Coney.
In the seventh inning, the Tigers pushed across a pair of insurance runs, then clinched the game on a double play to secure the trophy.
The win was a special one for head coach Zach Rackett.
“It’s special for the program but it’s special for this community,” Rackett said. “Look at this. We don’t try to put pressure on our kids but it’s special because all these people have poured everything into these kids since they were two years old.”
“We got dads and moms that spent money, drove here and all these kids came from the same rec department. All these kids have been playing at Metter Candler County rec department since they were four years old.”
Metter won its first game against Charlton County after coming back from a 7-6 deficit in the bottom of the seventh inning to win, 8-7.