April 5, 2014
LSUA 10, GGC 8
Despite building a pair of six-run leads, No. 5 Georgia Gwinnett (36-6) fell 10-8 to LSU Alexandria (26-15) at the Grizzly Baseball Complex in Lawrenceville on Saturday afternoon in the finale of the teams’ three-game series.
For the second straight game, the team trailing 6-0 rallied back for the win as LSUA used a seven-run eighth inning to climb in front.
GGC starting pitcher Brandon MacKinnon did not factor into the decision despite carrying a no-hit bid into the sixth inning and allowing two runs on only one hit with six strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitched.
The loss dropped GGC to 27-5 on its home field this year.
Reliever Austin Smith (3-2) suffered the loss after a go-ahead run home run capped the Generals’ scoring in the eighth. GGC used six pitchers in the contest. Hunter Wallace (1-0) picked up the win for LSUA after tossing 2.2 innings out of the bullpen.
Pat Long led the Grizzlies offensively with two hits, including a three-run home run. Garitt Church also had a pair of RBI singles in the game.
The Grizzlies got on the board first with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning on two hits. With runners at first and second, Church executed a hit and run with a single back up the middle to score Zach Alvord for the game’s first run. With runners at the corners, Church was caught attempting to steal second, but that allowed Christian Van Camp to scamper home from third.
A three-run home run by Long highlighted a four-run fifth inning for GGC. Philip Bates led off the frame with a single and Jereid Woods followed with a fielder’s choice that allowed both runners to reach safely. After Jake Fields loaded the bases with a walk, all three runners advanced on a wild pitch, allowing Bates to score from third. Long then hit his long ball over the fence in left-centerfield to drive home Woods and Fields.
In the sixth inning, the Generals broke up MacKinnon’s no-hit bid with a leadoff single. After two outs, two walks loaded the bases. MacKinnon surrendered another walk to drive in a run for LSUA. Reliever Sheldon Conner yielded a run on a walk, but was able to strand the bases loaded by inducing a groundout.
The Grizzlies added another pair of runs in the seventh inning. Consecutive walks by pinch hitter William Paschal and Van Camp set up the second RBI single from Church. John Fidanza then hit a sacrifice fly that scored Van Camp from third.
LSUA scored seven times with two outs in the eighth to take a late 9-8 lead. The Generals loaded the bases and got an RBI single. A bases clearing double plated three more runs and another run came home on a throwing error at first base. A two-run home run then gave LSUA a lead.
The Generals added a run to their lead on an RBI single in the ninth inning.
The Grizzlies pieced together a pair of two-out singles in the bottom of the ninth, but couldn’t muster the tying scores.
Georgia Gwinnett travels to Lebanon, Tenn., for a game against Cumberland on Tuesday at 3 p.m., before traveling to Alexandria, La., for a three-game rematch versus LSU Alexandria on Friday and Saturday.
