May 3, 2014

Box Score

The Georgia Gwinnett baseball team captured a win in its first-ever postseason appearance Friday by running past Houston-Victoria, 11-1, in the opening game of the 2014 Association of Independent Institutions baseball tournament championship in Lynn, Mass.

The top-seeded Grizzlies opened a 5-0 lead through six innings and added a six-run eighth to sail to the win.

Sloan Strickland and Ty Abbott each went 3-for-5 at the plate while Phillip Bates led GGC with three RBIs.

Starting pitcher Tyler Carpenter struck out eight batters over 7.2 innings, improving to 7-1 on the season by allowing just two hits and a single run in the eighth inning.

Christian Van Camp tossed the final 1.1 innings on the mound in scoreless fashion.

Strickland, Bates and William Paschal tallied seven of the Grizzlies’ 11 runs.

“We had an unbelievable pitching performance by Carpenter,” said GGC head coach Brad Stromdahl. “Our offense stuck to the game plan and had timely hits. Bates and Abbott each had big games and it was a great day to be a Grizzly.”

The NAIA No. 6 Grizzlies advance to face third-seeded Cal State San Marcos Saturday at 1 p.m. The Cougars fell to host Fisher by a 3-1 score in Friday action.

Live coverage is available on the tournament home page.