Box Score

LAWRENCEVILLE - It was another dramatic evening at Grizzly Baseball Complex on Saturday as the Georgia Gwinnett baseball team shook off a late Madonna rally to pick up a 10-9 walk-off victory in the bottom of the ninth.

After entering the game's final frame with a two run lead, the team turned to closer Christian Turnipseed, but after recording two quick outs, he wasn't able to pick up the third, ultimately leaving the game with the bases loaded and the game tied up at 9-9. Tyler Oglesby came on in his stead, and the right-hander out of Savannah induced a groundball from MU's Taylor Grzelakowski to end the threat.

In the bottom half of the frame, Trey Haygood led off with an infield single, and MU pitcher Bobby St. Pierre issued a walk to Ty Abbott bring Kyler Timmerman to the plate with two on and no outs. The sophomore out of Evans, who has already recorded one walk-off hit this season, came through, laying down a bunt single, and an errant throw sailed past the out-reached glove of MU's Shane Dokey, allowing Haygood to touch home safely.

"We knew that Timmerman might bunt, so we were all on our toes, and then he laid down a fabulous bunt," Abbott explained. "That can be just as hard to do as hitting a home run, and he beat it out. Then they made an error, so it ended up being another nice walk-off for us. Now we just have to go into tomorrow with the same intensity and close out the weekend well."

Both Haygood and Timmerman were 2-for-4 at the plate on Saturday, and Abbott once again starred offensively, coming up just a double shy of the cycle and ending 3-for-4 with three runs batted in and a pair of scores.

Ernesto Vazquez also enjoyed a two-hit day, but as a team, the Grizzlies were out-hit by the visitors 15-11.

Mike Tibbits led the way for the visitors, going 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI, and both John Lauro and Levi Lamour ended 2-for-5 with two RBI and a score.

After the Crusaders drew first blood in the second with a score, the Green and Gray struck back with four in the bottom of the fourth. A bunt base-hit from Haygood led off the frame, and then Abbott belted his team-leading third home run of the season over the fence in right center to give the Grizzlies the lead.

"It's been a while since I've hit a home run, and it feels good to get another one today," Abbott said. "I think I've been swinging too hard these past couple weeks, and I've been working really hard at trying to let my hands do the work instead of trying to do too much. It was a 3-1 count, and I was waiting on an inside pitch. I recognized a change-up out of his hands, so I just sat back and tried to square up the baseball."

A William Paschal walk and Vazquez double put two runners in scoring position for a Michael Hodorowski two-run single to triple the GGC advantage.

However, things would all change over the course of a wild fifth inning which saw the Crusaders score five runs and chase Grizzly starter Sheldon Connor from the mound to take the lead, but there was little reprieve for MU as an Abbott triple highlighted a reciprocal five-run frame for GGC to make it 9-6.

The Crusaders scored once more in the seventh, paving the way for the tense final inning.

GGC will return to action on Sunday with a doubleheader vs. Roosevelt at Grizzly Baseball Complex, and first pitch is set for noon. The second game will follow approximately 30 minutes after the completion of the first.

NOTES: GGC is 66-19 all-time in home games ... The Grizzlies have a 35-12 all-time record in the month of March ... GGC is 3-1 all-time vs. schools from the state of Michigan, splitting with Madonna this weekend and taking a pair from Rochester last year.

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