State Championships: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006
Top 5 National Rankings: 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2014 - National Champions: 2007, 2020, 2021



Americus Lightning
2001 Schedule and Recaps



Team Roster (Jersey # Order)


  • Tom Harrod
  • Ryan Coleman
  • Jonathan Dowdey
  • Justin Smith
  • Rhett Brenner
  • Tony Moran
  • Sean Freeman
  • Todd George
  • Scott Kerlin
  • Adam Saint
  • Stephen Moreno
  • Travis Walker
  • Justin Sutherland
  • Chris Rust
  • Clyde McGrady
  • Head Coach: Casey Soliday
  • Assistant Coach: Rod Murray
  • Assistant Coach: Steve Smith
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2001 Schedule
DATE OPPONENT # GAMES TIME LOCATION
May 31 Crisp County Two - Seven Innings 6:00 p.m. Cordele, Georgia
June 2 Travelers Jr. Team Two - Seven Innings 1:00 p.m. Bell Stadium
June 7 Tri County Two - Seven Innings 5:30 p.m. Bell Stadium
June 9 Ellaville Hornets Two - Seven Innings 1:00 p.m. Ellaville, Georgia
June 14 Albany Post 30 Jr. One - Seven Innings 7:00 p.m. Bell Stadium
June 16 Taylor County Two - Five Innings 1:00 p.m. Bell Stadium
June 21 Ellaville Hornets Two - Seven Innings 6:00 p.m. Bell Stadium
June 23 Crisp County Two - Seven Innings 11:00 a.m. Bell Stadium
June 29 Albany Post 30 Jr. Team Two - Five Innings 6:30 p.m. Albany, Georgia
June 30 Tri County Two - Seven Innings 10:00 a.m. Draneville, Georgia
July 2 Travelers Jr. Team Two - Seven Innings 5:30 p.m. Bell Stadium
July 7 Taylor County Two - Five Innings 1:00 p.m. Butler, Georgia
July 11 - July 14 GRPA State Tournament Double Elimination Perry, Georgia


Recaps Section

May 31 - Crisp County

The Americus Lightning lost a doubleheader to Crisp County, 5-2 and 11-10. Pitching for game #1 was Justin Smith, who struck out a trio and scattered nine. Scott Kerlin, Clyde McGrady, Travis Walker, and Chris Rust all had one hit. Rhett Brenner contributed both a single and double.

In the nightcap, Tom Harrod pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing quad hits, a trio of walks, and he struck out five. Adam Saint faced four batters and allowed four hits. Walker, in one and 2/3 innings, allowed a solo hit, a pair of walks, and sent a pair back to the dugout. The Lightning did not score until the 5th inning as Harrod, McGrady, and Kerlin had hits in a five run inning. In the sixth, Harrod posted a hit and two others scored after reaching on passed ball third strikes. In the seventh, Rust contributed a deuce scoring deuce out double.


June 2 - Americus Junior Travelers

The Lightning defeated the Jr. Travelers team in a doubleheader, 6-0 and 12-2. Winning pitcher for game #1 was Justin Smith, who struck out quad and allowed quad hits. In the offense department, hits were contributed by Ryan Coleman, Travis Walker, Tom Harrod, Adam Saint (single and double), Jonathan Dowdey (double), and Sean Freeman.

In the nightcap, Freeman pitched four innings, allowed a pair of hits, quad walks, and one strike out. Travis Walker relieved in the fifth frame, walking a pair and sending one back to the dugout. Singles were hit by Coleman, Dowdey, and Harrod. Rhett Brenner had two single hits. Clyde McGrady posted both a single and double. Freeman was good for a pair of single hits, and Justin Sutherland contributed a pair of bunt singles.


June 7 - Tri County

The Lightning team split a double header with Tri County, winning 5-2 and losing 15-10. In the first game, Justin Smith took the win on the mound, scattering five hits, walking one and sending five back to the dugout (two of Tri County's runs were unearned in the top of the seventh frame after deuce outs and a throwing error). Hitting: Clyde McGrady (triple), Tom Harrod (two singles), Adam Saint (two doubles, single), Chris Rust (two singles), Justin Sutherland (single).

In the nightcap, Travis Walker pitched two and 2/3 innings, allowing eight hits and sending only one batter back to the dugout. Harrod, as relief pitcher, allowed a solo walk, struck out one, and scattered quad. Sean Freeman faced two batters, allowing one walk and one hit. Saint was the final reliever, walking quad, scattering one, and struck out one. In hitting, Rhett Brenner posted a single - McGrady, two singles - Jonathan Dowdey, two singles - Rust, single.


June 9 - Ellaville Hornets

The Lightning crew split a double header with the Ellaville Hornets, winning 10-1 and losing 7-6. Pitcher for the initial game was Justin Smith, who scattered four hits, allowed a pair of walks and sent five back to the dugout. Ryan Coleman had one hit, and contributing a pair each were Rhett Brenner, Clyde McGrady, Adam Saint, Tom Harrod, and Sean Freeman.

In the nightcap, Harrod started on the mound, allowing only a solo hit and he struck out a pair. Saint relieved for Harrod; he struck out one, scattered one, and walked quad. Brenner also saw time on the mound - allowing a solo hit, a pair of walks, and he struck out a pair. McGrady, Travis Walker, and Justin Sutherland all posted one hit (Sutherland's a bunt single)


June 14 - Albany Post 30 Jr Team

The Lightning defeated the Albany Post 30 Jr Team by a score of 6-4. Winning pitcher was Justin Smith, who scattered 11 hits, allowed a solo walk, and struck out five in going the distance. There was outstanding defensive play involving Smith, who picked off a runner to end the sixth, and Rhett Brenner, who threw out a baserunner to end Albany's fourth. Ryan Coleman also had a key assist in the seventh from second base.

Hitting: In the third, Coleman walked, advanced to second via a throw error, then reached home plate via single by Brenner. Adam Saint walked, then Tom Harrod's squeeze bunt plated Rhenner. In inning #5, Coleman singled. Brenner walked. Both advanced via a wild pitch. Saint's hit tied the score at 4-4 at that point. Later, Sean Freeman reached by being hit, then Chris Rust's swing broke the tie. The Lightning added an insurance run in the sixth frame.


June 23 - Cordele

The Lightning lost a doubleheader to Cordele, 8-1 and 5-1. Adam Saint pitched the first game, postinig five strikeouts. Justin Smith came on the mound in the second, sending four back to the dugout himself. A great defense play by catcher Rhett Brenner, who threw out a potential base stealer. The Lightning's lone score in the initial game came as Clyde McGrady walked, then Tom Harrod's single plated McGrady. In the second play, Harrod contributed to a good 6-3 double play; later, Brenner would style again as he caught a base stealer from behind the plate. Hitting wise in the nightcap, Chris Rust hit a double, then reached home plate via a deuce outs throw error.


June 26 - Ellaville

The Americus Lightning split a doubleheader with the Ellaville Hornets, winning 6-2 and losing 8-7.


July 2 - Junior Travelers

The Lightning split a doubleheader to the Americus Travelers Jr. team, losing 8-2 and winning 13-2 in five. Pitching for the Lightning in game #1 was Justin Smith. Chris Rust pitched in the nightcap.


July 11-14 - GRPA State Tournament @ Perry

The Lightning had one win and a pair of losses in the GRPA State Tournament held in Perry. The team came in third place for the second year in a row.

Game One - Swainsboro/Emanuel County: Americus lost this contest, 5-3. Adam Saint started on the mound; he allowed five hits and a pair of walks and fanned a trio of batters in the first quad frames. Batting: Scott Kerlin and Sean Freeman reached via errors in the third. Travis Walker's single to left brought the pair to home plate. Tom Harrod contributed a run-batted-in hit in the sixth.

Game Two - Perry: Americus defeated the host team, 4-3. Justin Smith went the distance on the mound, scattering nine hits, sending a quartet back to the dugout and allowing a pair of walks. Rhett Brenner, as catcher, contributed great defensive play by throwing a baserunner out at second. Hitting: Ryan Coleman led off with a single. Brenner doubled. Jonathan Dowdey singled both in. In the third, Coleman walked, then reached home plate via a hit by Adam Saint. Coleman scored a third time in the fifth frame after reaching by a walk.

Game Three - Swainsboro/Emanuel County: The Lightning lost this contest, 11-3. Sean Freeman started on the mound and held the opponents scoreless for quad innings; he allowed only a solo hit. Chris Rust was relief pitcher. Third baseman Travis Walker was noted for oustanding defensive play, throwing out runners at home plate off of grounders. Stephen Moreno also contributed a key throw to get an opposing batter out at home from right. Hitting: Jonathan Dowdey had a run-batted-in hit that plated Adam Saint. Ryan Coleman and Rhett Brenner both got on base in the sixth frame, scoring on hits by Dowdey and Scott Kerlin.