In the Friday night NAIA Top 5 showdown, the No. 1 Georgia Gwinnett baseball team outlasted the offensive slugfest between the Grizzlies and fifth-ranked USC-Beaufort to pick up its 45th victory of the season in a 14-8 win.
"Tonight was a good team win," stated GGC head coach Brad Stromdahl. "We grinded things out and fought back from an early deficit to pull out the victory. Tyler [Oglesby] and Michael [Royal] pitched great in relief and held USCB scoreless after the fifth inning. Overall, it was a great win against a very talented ball club."
USC-Beaufort (37-7) powered out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning behind four hits, including a two-run homer by first baseman Justin Kortessis. In the bottom of the frame, the Grizzlies would cut the Sand Sharks' lead to two, 5-3, with a sacrifice fly by first baseman Zac Rinehart, an RBI-grounder by designated hitter Marcus McCorkle, and an RBI-single to left by third baseman William Paschal.
The Sand Sharks regained a four-run, 7-3 advantage in the top of the second with an RBI-double by designated hitter Kal Davis and an RBI-single by third baseman Brandon Joyce. Down 7-3, the Grizzlies rallied for four runs, two in the second and third, to tie the game on an RBI-single up the middle by catcher Brady Shoppe in the bottom of the third.
The Grizzly offense continued to pile on runs in the bottom of the fourth when it collected its first lead of the game. In total, GGC scored five runs in the inning to pull ahead 12-7. A Sand Shark fielding error allowed the first run to score in the inning while back-to-back doubles by McCorkle and Paschal pushed the second and third runs of the inning across the plate for the 10-7 lead. Left fielder Brady Hamilton kept the rally going as he ripped a one-out single to center, scoring Paschal for the 11-7 advantage. The final run of the inning was driven in on an RBI-single to right-center for the 12-7 gap in favor of the Grizzlies.
While USCB scored its eighth and final run of the contest in the top of the fifth with a single to center by catcher Nick Payne, the relief pitching duo of Tyler Oglesby and Michael Royal shut down the Sand Sharks, holding them scoreless for the final four innings of play.
The Grizzlies would go on to score two more runs, one in each of the fifth and seventh innings, en route to the 14-8 win.
Oglesby received the win, going two and two-thirds innings of relief, striking out six batters while surrendering just two hits. USCB's starter John Gora was credited with the loss, giving up 12 runs, seven earned, on 11 hits in three and one-third innings of work.
GGC (45-4) leads the all-time series with USC-Beaufort 7-3, sweeping all four games at the Grizzly Baseball Complex while going 3-3 in Hardeeville, S.C.
The same two teams square off again on Saturday in doubleheader action starting at 1:00 p.m. Prior to Saturday's games, the Grizzlies will honor the collegiate careers of their 18 seniors during a pregame ceremony at 12:30 p.m. This year's senior class features, in jersey number order, William Paschal, Trey Haygood, Tyler Oglesby, Adam Clark, Matt Muench, Austin Smith, Trumon Jefferson, Davis Adkins, Michael Hodorowski, Jake Wright, Jereid Woods, Chris Aichinger, Zac Rinehart, Josh Merrigan, Will Solomon, Jeremy Hutchison, Ryan Turner, and Sheldon Connor.
Game two of the doubleheader will begin approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.
Game Day Central
Live video coverage, starting 15 minutes prior to First Pitch, provided by the Grizzly Digital Network:
http://portal.stretchinternet.com/ggc
Live stats link:
Game 1: http://bit.ly/26azi9W
Game 2: http://bit.ly/1SNGS0d
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