The 14th-ranked Georgia Gwinnett baseball team picked up its second win in-a-row on Tuesday night as the Grizzlies dominated in-state rival Reinhardt (Ga.) 18-5.
"Our offense really clicked tonight and the 18 runs were a result of our focus at the plate," said GGC head baseball coach Brad Stromdahl. "Michael [Royal] did a superb job on the mound, and our bullpen continues to shine. This weekend is another great test that prepares us for the A.I.I tournament in May."
Georgia Gwinnett (32-16) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when first baseman Brady Hamilton launched his sixth home run of the season over the left field fence.
Two innings later, the Grizzlies pushed their lead to 6-0 with a five-run inning. GGC made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly to deep center by designated hitter Alex Garland. Pinch hitter Myles Smith stepped in two batters later to boost the Grizzlies to the 3-0 lead with an RBI-single to center. With the bases loaded, second baseman Deion Sellers reached on a five-pitch walk to make it 4-0 while a two-run single to shallow left by right fielder Jean Figueroa increased the Grizzlies' gap to 6-0.
While Reinhardt scored its first run of the game on a solo home run by Daniel Rodriguez in the bottom of the third, Georgia Gwinnett responded with a three-run fifth to carry its advantage to 9-1. With two runners on, third baseman Trevor Bradley ripped a two-run triple to deep right-center field and then scored on an erred throw second baseman Chandler Wold on the relay to home.
In the bottom of the fifth, Reinhardt cut GGC's lead to 9-3 as left fielder Abel Nunez lifted the first pitch he saw over the left field fence for a two-run home run.
The Eagles (32-17) drew within five, 9-4, with an RBI-single by Nunez in the sixth, but GGC regained its six-run, 10-4, lead when Hamilton belted his second solo home run of the contest over the center field fence in the top of the seventh.
Georgia Gwinnett continued its offensive assault into the eighth inning as the Grizzlies plated eight insurance runs to catapult their lead over the Eagles to 18-4. Figueroa increased the lead to 11-4 with an RBI-double while Kyler Timmerman made it 13-4 with a two-run double to the deep left-center gap. Timmerman would score six pitches later as Angel Soto connected for an RBI-double with no outs in the inning. After Hamilton walked and Garland reached base on an Eagle error, catcher Jean Paul Rodriguez cleared the bases with a grand slam home run over the left field fence, pushing the lead to 18-4 in favor of the Grizzlies.
Reinhardt made one last offensive effort in the bottom of the ninth as Christian Trejos powered a solo home run over the left field fence, to cut the final score to 18-5, but the Grizzlies held strong to pick up their 32nd win of the season.
Senior Michael Royal (3-0) collected the win for Georgia Gwinnett, surrendering four runs on eight hits while striking out six Eagles in 5.2 innings of work. Reinhardt's Dylan Powers received the loss.
The Grizzlies now travel to Montgomery, Ala., on April 21 and 22 to face NCAA Division II's Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) at 5:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., respectively. Both games will take place at the AUM Baseball Complex (6692 AUM Drive, Montgomery, Ala. 36117). Georgia Gwinnett will return to the Grizzly Baseball Complex on Sunday, April 23 when the Grizzlies will host Middle Georgia State in Senior Day action. Prior to Sunday's game, Georgia Gwinnett will recognize its 11 seniors of the 2017 class, including Bradley, Abram Cartledge, Figueroa, Rodriguez, Royal, Tanner Shelton, Brady Shoppe, Soto, Tyler Souris, Timmerman, and Nikolay Uherek.
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