Match Up: No. 5 Georgia Gwinnett (1-1) at No. 15 Keiser (3-1)
Game 1: GGC 5 – Keiser 6
Game 2: GGC 5 – Keiser 3 (10 inn.)
Game 3: Sunday, Jan. 29 – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Silvester Field, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Game Coverage: Live Video | Live Stats | Twitter
Next Home Game: Friday, February 3 vs. No. 24 Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.)
Media Information: 2017 GGC Baseball Media Guide
The fifth-ranked Georgia Gwinnett baseball team picked up its first win of the 2017 season on Saturday, defeating No. 15 Keiser (Fla.) 5-3 in 10 innings.
"Today, we had two great outings by Tyler [Souris} and Myles [Smith] as both pitched extremely well against Keiser," said GGC head coach Brad Stromdahl. "We had some timely hits today, and I thought our team had a great day of learning on the field. I'm looking forward to getting back on the field tomorrow for the series-deciding game."
The Grizzlies (1-1) struck first in the top of the third to take the 1-0 lead over Keiser. Shortstop Trevor Bradley led the inning off with a double to right-center. After back-to-back walks loaded the bases for GGC, second baseman Marcus McCorkle drove in Bradley with a sacrifice fly to deep center. Bradley would score again in the fifth on a wild pitch by Daniel Garmendia to increase Georgia Gwinnett's lead to 2-0 over the Seahawks.
GGC's starting pitcher, Tyler Souris, pitched five innings of scoreless ball before being relieved for Myles Smith in the sixth. Souris allowed just three hits, striking out four of the 20 batters he faced.
In the top of the eighth, GGC increased its gap to 3-0 with a sacrifice fly to left by left fielder Josh Black, scoring McCorkle.
While Souris and Smith combined for eight innings of shutout work on the mound, Keiser's bats came alive in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game at 3-3, sending the contest into extra innings. After right fielder Tivon Faneyte doubled and third baseman Jack Curtis walked to reach base, left fielder Carlos Lopez belted a three-run home run over the right field fence to tie the game.
Keiser had a chance for a walk-off single by Gabby Mundo with runners on first and second, but Bradley made a diving catch at short to halt the Seahawks' rally.
Georgia Gwinnett would go on to score two runs, 5-3, in the top of the 10th inning off a throwing error by Jeremy Graf. Bradley, who came on in relief in the bottom of the 10th, struck out the final two batters to pick up the save and clinch the Grizzlies' victory.
With the win, the Grizzlies are now 5-1 all-time against Keiser.
Both Black and Bradley had 2-for-4 performances at the plate in GGC's victory as well as three putouts in the contest. GGC's Stone Kelly, who pitched the final out of the ninth and first out of the 10th, received the win while Keiser's Graf was credited with the loss.
The weekend series concludes with a rubber game on Sunday, Jan. 28. First pitch from Silvester Field in West Palm Beach, Fla., is slated for 1:00 p.m.
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