Match Up: No. 24 Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) vs. No. 5 Georgia Gwinnett
Game 1: FHU 7 - GGC 6
Game 2: FHU 7 - GGC 6
Game 3: Sunday, Feb. 5 – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Grizzly Baseball Complex, Lawrenceville, Ga.
Game Coverage: Live Video | Live Stats | Twitter
Media Information: 2017 GGC Baseball Media Guide
For the second day in-a-row, the fifth-ranked Georgia Gwinnett baseball team dropped a tight ballgame to No. 24 Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.), losing 7-6.
"Today we had trouble executing in certain situations and gave up too many unearned runs," said GGC head coach Brad Stromdahl. "We need to take better care of the baseball defensively. It's still early in the season and opportunities will come. While it's frustrating to start the season 1-3, our guys are learning, growing, and preparing for the next chance when the time comes."
The Grizzlies (1-3) broke up the scoreless contest in the bottom of the third, scoring on a wild pitch by FHU's starter Riley Echols.
Freed-Hardeman (2-0) responded with three runs in the top of the fourth to take the 3-1 edge. Center fielder Cody Duncan, who reached on a leadoff double, and designated hitter Chase Young, who was hit by a pitch, scored the Lions' first two runs of the game on back-to-back wild pitches by GGC starter Tyler Souris. Later in the inning, FHU's second baseman Houston Looser made it a 3-1 ballgame, scoring on a sacrifice squeeze bunt down the third base line by right fielder Darcy Moore.
While the Lions would push their advantage to 5-1 in the top of the sixth, scoring two runs, Georgia Gwinnett rallied in the bottom frame to plate five runs for the 6-5 lead.
GGC's first baseman Brady Hamilton connected for his first home run of the 2017 season, driving a two-run shot over the left field fence. With the bases loaded, pinch hitter Brady Shoppe delivered a clutch, two-out, bases-clearing double to left field, pushing the Grizzlies ahead 6-5.
In the top of the seventh, FHU responded to GGC's five-run sixth with an RBI-double by first baseman Wes Brooks to tie the game at 6-6.
Duncan provided the Lions' late-inning heroics, driving in the go-ahead run on a two-out RBI-double to lead the FHU to the 7-6 win.
FHU's Jared Humphry received the win, providing 1.1 innings of relief for the Lions. GGC's Myles Smith was credited with the loss while Freed-Hardeman's Beau Caviness picked up his second save of the 2017 season.
Georgia Gwinnett and Freed-Hardeman will face each other one last time on Sunday, wrapping up the three-game series. First pitch from the Grizzly Baseball Complex is set for 1:00 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning at 12:45 p.m. on the Grizzly Digital Network.
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