CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. — Don’t tell the Gordon Lee baseball team that today’s game against Bowdon doesn’t mean anything.

Not after the licking the Trojans took Friday.

Bowdon secured second place in Region 6-A — locking Gordon Lee into third — with an 8-4 win that spoiled the Trojans’ senior night. Gordon Lee (16-7) could have overtaken the Red Devils (20-3) for second place by sweeping the teams’ home-and-home series this weekend, but the loss means that today the Trojans will be playing only for pride.

“I’ve never been a part of a game that didn’t mean anything, and tomorrow’s game will mean a lot,” Gordon Lee coach Greg Payne said. “Whenever these two teams get together, it’s always a hotly contested game.”

Friday was no exception.

Bowdon catcher Robbie Harvell hit a three-run home run in the first inning for the Devils. After squandering a second-inning opportunity with the bases loaded and no one out, the Trojans broke through with a three-run fourth, when Brad Culbreth scored on a Josh Weller groundout and Jacob Groce smacked a two-run ground-rule double.

“When I hit that, I was hoping it would get us going,” Groce said. “I was hoping the hitting would become contagious.”

It did — but only Bowdon caught the bug.

The Devils responded in the fifth with two more runs: Trevor Pollard drove in one with a triple and scored the other on Will Young’s sacrifice bunt. Young scored on a Seth Key single in the top of the seventh, which came after a two-run sixth.

Gordon Lee’s Brandon Daggett drove in Zack DeBord in the bottom of the seventh before Bowdon stymied the Trojans’ comeback attempt.

By finishing in third place, Gordon Lee guaranteed itself a trip to play Region 8-A’s second seed, Lakeview Academy, when the GHSA playoffs begin next week.

But first things first.

“I can’t wait to take another shot at these guys,” Groce said. “I’m a junior, and all of us underclassmen owe the seniors something special. I’ve got some redeeming to do.”