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Ringgold comes up short again in sixth trip to baseball state title series

Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / Harlem's Jackson Decker celebrates after tagging out Ringgold's Sam Crew at second on a steal attempt during the opening game of the GHSA Class AAA championship series against Harlem on Friday at AdventHealth Stadium in Rome, Ga. Harlem won the first game, 5-3, and went on to sweep the Tigers and win the title.
Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / Harlem's Jackson Decker celebrates after tagging out Ringgold's Sam Crew at second on a steal attempt during the opening game of the GHSA Class AAA championship series against Harlem on Friday at AdventHealth Stadium in Rome, Ga. Harlem won the first game, 5-3, and went on to sweep the Tigers and win the title. Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / Harlem's Jackson Decker celebrates after tagging out Ringgold's Sam Crew at second on a steal attempt during the opening game of the GHSA Class AAA championship series against Harlem on Friday at AdventHealth Stadium in Rome, Ga. Harlem won the first game, 5-3, and went on to sweep the Tigers and win the title.

By Lindsey Young 5 min read

ROME, Ga. — There are times in sports when magic happens and dreams get fulfilled. There are also times when those dreams are dashed.

Again.

The Ringgold High School baseball team, for the sixth time in program history, exited a state championship series on the losing side Friday night as Harlem won a pair of excruciating games, 5-3 and 2-1, in the GHSA Class AAA title matchup at AdventHealth Stadium. The Tigers, despite a long history of success, leave Rome having yet to win a state championship.

The Bulldogs won their sixth championship under legendary coach Jimmie Nelson and eighth overall, though it’s their first since 1986. This is the third consecutive season Ringgold (32-9) and Harlem (35-1) have met in the postseason, with Harlem winning the past two meetings.

“Sometimes the game comes down to dudes making plays and, tonight at least, our dudes didn’t come through in big situations,” Ringgold coach Drew Walker said. “We had great chances to win both games, but sometimes that happens.”