STATESBORO – Last Friday afternoon marked one of the greatest performances in Gatewood baseball history when Lawson Moore tossed a complete game no-hitter.
The sophomore lefthander struck out eight Heritage batters while walking none in a 7-0 state-championship- clinching victory at Georgia Southern University’s J.I. Clements Stadium.
Moore capped a record-setting 2026 season by leading the Gators to their fourth consecutive state championship. He established a program record with 17 strikeouts in six innings against Piedmont on March 3 and eclipsed the 100-strikeout mark for the season.
Moore pitched 60.2 innings while allowing just 12 earned runs, 16 walks, and 33 hits this season. For the postseason, he pitched 21.0 innings and allowed just five hits, two walks, and zero runs while striking out an impressive 36 batters over three starts and one relief appearance.
Following Friday’s win, Moore said he left all he had on the field in the final inning to ensure he and his team would secure a fourth-straight championship.
“I knew the top of their order was due up in the bottom of the seventh with the no-hitter on the line, so I gave it all I had in that inning,” Moore said. “It was relieving, to say the least, after I recorded the final out.”
Only a sophomore, Moore has already achieved great success in his young career, now owning three state championship rings, including one from his eighth-grade season, his first as a member of the Gatewood varsity team. That year, Moore was called upon in game three of the 2A state championship series against Edmond Burke, pitching for five innings.
Following Friday’s championship- winning performance, Gatewood head coach Brandon Moss said he’s been impressed by the strides Moore has taken in just three seasons.
“I mean, honestly … Lawson coming out today after closing yesterday, you don’t know how that’s going to affect him, but right after the game, he told me he wanted the ball, and we rolled with him even though he threw all those pitches. Then he comes out and throws a no-hitter,” Moss said. “You couldn’t ask for anything more than that. The way he just commanded the entire strike zone, stayed even keel, used his pitches, pitched to some contact when he needed to, that’s just the evolution of a kid that knows how to pitch.”
Moss said Moore has gone from being a left-hander whose name people know because he throws hard to being a pitcher to be feared.
“When you’re up against him, you’ve got a long road ahead,” Moss said.
Moore has become one of the nation’s top southpaws and is nationally ranked by Perfect Game as the No. 10 left-handed pitcher in the Class of 2028.
He said his primary goal for last Friday’s game was just to win the game and the championship; however, Moore admitted to one more major feat he wanted to achieve for himself.
“Going into game two, I knew I was three strikeouts away from 100 on the season,” he said. “Apart from winning the game, getting those three Ks was definitely on my mind.”
As for winning a third title and helping the Gators secure their fourth straight championship, Moore said it was all about hard work.
“It felt great knowing that all of our hard work in the off-season and in-season paid off, bringing yet another trophy back to Eatonton.”
Moore acknowledged the appreciation from his teammates, coaches, and family after Friday’s win, too.
“They were all really proud of me,” he said. “I’m grateful for everyone’s support this season.”