For a second straight day, the Georgia Gwinnett baseball team left it late against host West Virginia Tech, and once again, the second-ranked Grizzlies were able to make the plays when it counted, pushing two runs across in the final inning to win 2-1 at Linda K. Epling Stadium.
April 25, 2015
For a second straight day, the Georgia Gwinnett baseball team left it late against host West Virginia Tech, and once again, the second-ranked Grizzlies were able to make the plays when it counted, pushing two runs across in the final inning to win 2-1 at Linda K. Epling Stadium.
With the victory, GGC improved to 43-9 on the season. The game, which was only scheduled for seven innings, was originally slated as the front end of a doubleheader, but inclement weather brought the second game to an early conclusion. GGC led 7-1 in the contest in the top of the second inning.
GGC, which finished the day with three hits, looked to be on the ropes as the Golden Bears (27-23) pushed across a run on Grizzly starter Ryan Minteer in the bottom of the fifth. However, after going down in short order in the sixth, the Green and Gray mounted a response in the seventh as the team loaded the bases with no outs, with Michael Hodorowski ultimately earning a walk to tie things up. Brian Jacobs grounded into a fielder's choice in the ensuing at-bat to give GGC its first lead of the day.
Andy Threatt took over on the mound for the seventh, and after picking up a quick out, a pair of walks put the hosts back in business. Threatt, a senior out of Atlanta, registered a strikeout and induced a groundout to end the threat and seal his third save on the season.
Minteer was credited with his team-best seventh win of the season and moved to 7-2 after finishing with an earned run on six hits. The Venetia, Pa., native fanned seven in the contest and issued just one walk.
In Friday's meeting between the two teams, the Grizzlies broke a 3-3 deadlock with a run in the top of the 12th inning. Three of the five meetings between GGC and WVT this season have been decided by a single run, and both teams will be involved in next week's A.I.I. Championship tournament at Grizzly Baseball Complex.
The Grizzlies will return to action on Tuesday with the finale of the 2015 regular season against Middle Georgia. The game, which will also feature a pre-game ceremony honoring the senior class, is set for a 7 p.m. first pitch.
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