Match Up: #6 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) vs. No. 5 Georgia Gwinnett
Game 1: GGC 9 – LWC 3
Game 2: GGC 14 – LWC 7
Game 3: Sunday, Feb. 19 – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Grizzly Baseball Complex, Lawrenceville, Ga.
Media Information: 2017 GGC Baseball Media Guide
The fifth-ranked Georgia Gwinnett baseball team continued its offensive fury over the past two weeks on Saturday as the Grizzlies used a grand slam by first baseman Brady Hamilton, a 2-for-4, three-RBI performance by second baseman Marcus McCorkle, and five innings of dominant pitching by starter Tyler Souris to defeat Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 14-7.
The Grizzlies (9-3) have now won eight straight games and their second series in-a-row.
"We had a great day at the plate," stated GGC head coach Brad Stromdahl. "While our defense did surrender seven runs, we learned from each scenario and will put into play how to overcome those obstacles in future games. Tyler pitched well in his fourth start of the season and Brady's power was on full display again today."
Hamilton's first RBI of the day came in the opening inning of competition as he lifted a one-run single to shallow left to score right fielder Jean Figueroa. In the same inning, both McCorkle and Hamilton would score on a throwing error by Mauricio Guadarrama.
In the top of the second, Lindsey Wilson (1-7) managed a run on a sacrifice fly by Jan Carlos Ortiz to cut GGC's lead to 3-1.
Georgia Gwinnett would respond with six more runs in the bottom of the second to increase its gap to 9-1. Left fielder Kyler Timmerman led the second inning off with a solo home run to left on the first pitch he saw. A three-run double by McCorkle made it 7-1 for the Grizzlies while an RBI-double by center fielder Chris Jones and a sacrifice fly by designated hitter Kade Carrigan pushed the mark to 9-1.
While the Blue Raiders pushed a run across in the third, two in the fifth, and one in the eighth to narrow GGC's advantage to 9-5, a five-run showing in the bottom of the eighth by the Grizzlies would regain the home team a nine run, 14-5, gap. The inning included an RBI-single by Figueroa and Hamilton's grand slam, his fourth home run of the season.
In the ninth, Lindsey Wilson would muster a two-run rally, but the early gap established by the Grizzlies was too much to overcome, sending GGC to the 14-7 victory.
Souris (2-0) picked up his second win of 2017, striking out five of the 19 batters he faced while surrendering just four runs, three earned, on four hits. LWC's RJ Hanson received the loss.
Georgia Gwinnett and Lindsey Wilson wraps up the three-game series on Sunday. Pregame coverage on the Grizzly Digital Network will begin at 12:45 p.m. with first pitch taking place at 1:00 p.m.
Tickets for Sunday's game are $5 for adults, $3 for youth, seniors, and military, and free for children under five. All members of the GGC community receive free admission with their Claw Card. Season ticket packages are also on sale for all regular season contests. For more information on ticketing, click here. Free game day parking is available in the deck at the entrance to the GGC campus.
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