March 13, 2014
GGC 10, OSU Lima 3
Ty Abbott’s seventh-inning homer keyed a 7-0 GGC run to lead the Georgia Gwinnett baseball team to its 16th-straight win with a 10-3 victory over Ohio State-Lima on Thursday evening in Lawrenceville.
The Grizzlies (22-3) and Barons (0-11) began a four-game series at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.
Georgia Gwinnett rallied from an early 3-0 hole, then broke open a tie game with a seven-run seventh inning.
Abbott finished the night 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while Antonio Allen, Zach Alvord and Robbie Payne all had two hits on the night.
Reliever Drew Riley tossed four scoreless innings with six strikeouts to record his second victory of the season. Starter Alex Roberts struck out four batters over five but did not factor into the decision.
The Grizzlies shook off three errors defensively and used timely hitting to improve to 18-3 on their home field.
The Barons opened the scoring with three runs in the top of the third against Roberts.
Alvord put GGC on the board in the bottom of the inning with a two-out RBI triple to score Allen. Payne followed with a single to right that scored Alvord to make it 3-2.
A well-executed hit-and-run scored Christian Van Camp from second base to tie the game in the fourth inning as John Fidanza bounced a ball through the left side.
Roberts surrendered no further damage and Riley entered to hold the Barons from scoring over the final six innings.
Abbott led off the bottom of the seventh against relief pitcher Chase Allen with a no-doubt shot to right field for his third home run of the season, a solo effort that put GGC in front, 4-3. Alvord then walked and took second on a wild pitch. Payne followed with a single to right. Pinch runner Garitt Church later advanced to second and Jake Fields drove in both runners with a double to right field. Allen’s two-out bloop double to left field brought in another pair of Grizzlies to make it 8-3. Abbott followed with a laser back up the middle for two more runs and a 10-3 GGC lead.
The Barons threatened in the eighth inning but Riley picked up an inning-ending strikeout with the bases loaded.
The Grizzlies, the NAIA’s highest-scoring team, scored in double digits for the 12th time on the year.
The series continues Friday with a 4 p.m. doubleheader in Lawrenceville.
