Senior right-handers Davis Adkins and Adam Clark held Southeastern (Fla.) to just one run on six hits Friday night to help lead the No. 8 Georgia Gwinnett baseball team to a 7-1 victory in the 2016 season opener in Lakeland, Fla.
The Grizzly offense used enough timely hitting to erase an early 1-0 hole before breaking out for five runs in the sixth inning en route to the win.
Newcomer Josh Merrigan, Trey Haygood and Jereid Woods all had two hits apiece to pace the GGC offense.
Meanwhile, Clark opened with four strong innings on the mound before giving way to Adkins (1-0), who picked up the victory by tossing five scoreless frames with four strikeouts and no walks.
"It was great to get out there today and all around it was a good game for our team against a very strong opponent," GGC head coach Brad Stromdahl said. "Davis and Adam were terrific on the mound, they really earned the win for our team. We ended up getting some clutch hits when we needed them on offense. Josh Merrigan, Trey Haygood and Jereid Woods all had good days at the plate and we also played some pretty good defense out there."
Southeastern (0-1) plated the game's first run in the bottom of the second, bouncing into a double play that scored a runner from third base.
The Grizzlies (1-0) answered back in the top of the next inning, starting with a leadoff double from newcomer Trevor Bradley. With one out and the runner at third, Michael Hodorowski provided an RBI groundout to tie the game, 1-1.
Georgia Gwinnett then took the lead in the top of the fifth inning. Woods belted a leadoff single before stealing second base. Haygood then placed a bunt single with one out and a throwing error allowed Woods to come home to make it 2-1.
The Grizzlies created breathing room with a five-run sixth inning on four hits.
William Paschal doubled the GGC advantage with an RBI double, then Marcus McCorkle's two-run single followed to make it 5-1. Bradley drove in another run on a groundout and Haygood's single to left field scored Woods for the final 7-1 lead.
The cushion was more than enough for Adkins, who entered the game in the bottom of the fifth and went the rest of the way, allowing just three singles over 5.0 innings.
Clark went 4.0 innings in his first action since 2014, allowing one run on three hits, striking out two batters and walking a pair.
The Grizzlies improved to 4-0 all-time on Opening Day with the win.
The series opener had been scheduled for Thursday night, but rain pushed the start back one day. The teams will now play a Saturday doubleheader, beginning at 1 p.m., to finish the series.
Live video coverage from Southeastern University is available here.
