The top-ranked Georgia Gwinnett baseball team (38-2) dropped its second game of the season on Tuesday afternoon, falling to No. 8 Tennessee Wesleyan 13-8.
The loss snaps Georgia Gwinnett's 13-game winning streak and is the Grizzlies' second defeat of 2016, falling only to Madonna earlier in the season. Through 40 games, the Grizzlies post the best record in the NAIA.
Georgia Gwinnett struck first in the second, scoring two runs off a wild pitch and a TWC error.
The Bulldogs (26-9) battled back in the fourth to score five runs, taking the 5-2 lead. TWC's Wardy Polanco led the inning off with a solo home run over the left field fence, cutting the GGC lead to 2-1. Two batters later, Cody Stroud ripped an RBI-single to center, tying the game at 2-2. An RBI-double by Alfred Cruz pushed the Bulldog advantage to 3-2 while consecutive passed balls by GGC scored the final two runs of the inning.
Tennessee Wesleyan extended the lead to 12-2 in the bottom of the fifth, scoring seven runs. An RBI-single by Omar Gomez ended the day for GGC starter Nikolay Uherek while a two-run double by Stroud gave the Bulldogs the 8-2 lead. Six pitches later, TWC added two more runs on a single by Cruz for the 10-2 lead. The Bulldogs wrapped up their seven-run inning with a two-run double by Pedro Barrios.
Georgia Gwinnett answered in the top of the sixth with five runs to cut the Bulldogs' lead to 12-7. Shortstop Trevor Bradley ripped an RBI-single to center for the third GGC run of the game while a passed ball scored Brady Hamilton to cut the TWC gap to 12-4. Trey Haygood made it 12-5 with an RBI-double while third baseman William Paschal plated the final two runs of the inning on a two-run single to left.
Both teams traded one more run a piece, but the Bulldogs held on for the 13-8 victory over the top-ranked Grizzlies.
Georgia Gwinnett is back in action on Wednesday when it travels to Lebanon, Tenn., to face Cumberland. The nine-inning contest is set for 1:00 p.m. Eastern.
Game Day Central
Video:
http://portal.stretchinternet.com/cu/
Live Stats:
http://bit.ly/1CdBq45
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