March 18, 2014
GGC 6, TWC 3
Georgia Gwinnett (26-3) pushed its winning streak to an even 20 games behind a stellar performance by starting pitcher Tyler Carpenter in a 6-3 victory over No. 8 Tennessee Wesleyan (14-12-1) at the Grizzly Baseball Complex in Lawrenceville on Tuesday evening.
Carpenter (4-0) spun GGC’s first complete game of the season and limited Tennessee Wesleyan to only two earned runs. The senior struck out six and allowed one walk over 9.0 innings of work, giving up a lone run in the first inning and not yielding another score until there were two outs in the ninth inning.
The win over TWC, the 2012 NAIA champions, stands as GGC’s highest-ranked upset to date and second victory at home in as many years over a ranked Bulldogs squad.
Georgia Gwinnett had four doubles in the contest, including two off the bat of senior Zach Alvord, who went 3-for-5. GGC was actually outhit in the contest, 12-9, but took advantage of eight walks.
Defensively, the Grizzlies turned three double plays and made some nice plays in the outfield to snuff out a number of Bulldog rallies.
The Bulldogs struck first with a run in the top of the first inning on a sacrifice fly, but the Grizzlies responded with a run in the bottom of the second to tie the ballgame. Jereid Woods scored on a sac fly to right field off the bat of Garitt Church. Wood reached on a bunt single, one of his two hits in the game, and advanced to third on two wild pitches.
Robbie Payne led off the third inning with a double to the gap in left-center. Ty Abbott pushed him home with a double over the head of the TWC left fielder as GGC went in front, 2-1.
GGC added three runs in the bottom of the fifth on three base hits and a pair of walks. Alvord doubled down the left field line to score Phillip Bates, who reached on a walk to start the frame. Payne was hit by a pitch and Fields legged out a bunt single to load the bases. Christian Van Camp drew an RBI walk and Woods singled to push in two more GGC runs.
Alvord doubled again in the sixth inning and came around to score on an RBI single by Fields as GGC extended its lead to 6-1.
The Bulldogs managed to put two more runs on the scoreboard with two outs in the top of the ninth inning on four hits and a Grizzly error, but Carpenter was able to shut the door and earn his fourth win of the season.
The Grizzlies remain at home Wednesday as they host preseason No. 1 and defending NAIA champion Faulkner (Ala.) in Lawrenceville with a first pitch at 6 p.m.
