The second-ranked Georgia Gwinnett baseball team dropped its third straight contest on Saturday as the Grizzly squad was defeated by Madonna (Mich.) 14-7 during a cold and rainy evening of play.

With the loss, Georgia Gwinnett (17-8) splits the season series with the Crusaders, but the Grizzlies still hold the head-to-head series advantage 5-3.



Madonna (12-10) opened the contest with a three-run first to take a 3-0 lead.  The Grizzlies responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning on an RBI-single by second baseman Marcus McCorkle, cutting the Crusaders' gap to 3-1.

The Crusaders' offense struck again in the second and fifth innings, scoring four runs in each frame, pushing their lead to 11-1 heading into seventh.  Once again, Madonna's bats were active in the contest, scoring two more insurance runs in the seventh inning, increasing the Grizzlies' deficit to 12 runs, 13-1.

While the Grizzlies were held scoreless for five innings, GGC responded with a five-run seventh to force two more innings of play.  A bases-loaded walk to third baseman Deion Sellers made it 13-2.  Designated hitter Chris Jones would nullify the 10-run rule victory for the Crusaders, driving in two Grizzlies with a single to right.  The hit cut Madonna's lead to 13-4.  Seven pitches later, Brandon Frazier drew the Grizzlies within seven, 13-6, with a two-run single to shallow right-center.

In the ninth, the Crusaders posted their 14th run of the game with a sacrifice fly by Danny Blade.

GGC managed just one final run in the ninth inning on an RBI-single by right fielder Austin Alexander but fell short as the Crusaders pulled out the 14-7 win, striking out the final Grizzly batter.

Madonna's Alex DeYonker picked up the win, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out five.  GGC's starter Myles Smith suffered the loss, allowing seven runs on six hits in 1.2 innings of work.

Next up, the Grizzlies will host Indiana Tech on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

The Grizzlies' meeting with the Warriors will be broadcasted live on the Grizzly Digital Network, featuring the voice of the Grizzlies Matt Mahony, with pregame coverage beginning at 2:45 p.m.

Tickets for Sunday's contest 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.  Georgia Gwinnett is a tobacco and pet free campus.

Below are the matchups for the final day of play at the Grizzly Spring Baseball Classic:

Sunday, March 12
10:00 a.m. – #8 Lewis-Clark State vs. (RV) Indiana Tech
3:00 p.m. – (RV) Indiana Tech vs #2 GGC

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