Box Score Junior C.J. Ballard made his presence felt early and often from atop the batting order as the No. 12 Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team opened the 2018 season with a thriller – an 8-7 victory over No. 6 Missouri Baptist University Thursday afternoon at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.
The right fielder opened the Grizzlies' season-opener with a base hit and saved his best for last, connecting on a deciding two-run home run in the seventh inning. Ballard went 4-for-5 with two runs scored on the afternoon.
GGC (1-0) and Missouri Baptist (0-1) traded scores early in the game, with both teams pushing across two runs in the first inning. The visitors took a 3-2 lead in the second inning on a base hit by General McArthur.
However, Georgia Gwinnett College responded with a four-run second inning to grab the lead for good. A single by senior NAIA Preseason All-American Marcus McCorkle brought home junior Brandon Frazier, and a bases-loaded walk to junior Alex Garland gave the hosts a 4-3 advantage. Two more runs would score on a defensive error.
Missouri Baptist, which played in last year's NAIA World Series, managed to get within one run on two separate occasions. However, in both cases, strong relief pitching by GGC wouldn't allow the visitors to tie the game. The Spartans got a two-run double with two outs in the top of the eighth inning before junior pitcher Jordan Tylski got a groundout to end the frame. The right hander retired all four batters he faced to record the save.
Starting pitcher Cole Uvila picked up the win in the starting assignment. The senior right hander struck out four batters.
PHOTOS
Turning Point
Leading by one run in the late stages of the contest, GGC turned to junior relief pitcher Jordan Tylski to collect the first win of the 2018 campaign. Missouri Baptist got a two-run double with two outs to pull within one run, at 8-7. The Grizzlies' closer prevented the game-tying run from scoring, inducing ground ball to shortstop to preserve the lead. Then, Tylski retired all three batters he faced in the ninth inning.
Key Plays
Bottom of Second
Marcus McCorkle's single through left side scored Brandon Frazier to tie game at 3-3
Then, Alex Garland walked with the bases loaded to give GGC a 4-3 lead
And, finally, a Missouri Baptist fielding error scored McCorkle and Tony Salvaggio to give GGC a 6-3 advantage
Top of Fifth
A wild pitch allowed Missouri Baptist's General McArthur to score, cutting GGC's lead to 6-4
Domonique Hernandez followed with a RBI groundout to score Gabriel Castillo to bring the visitors to within one run, at 6-5
Bottom of Seventh
GGC's C.J. Ballard connected on two-run home run over the right field fence to extend the lead to 8-5
Top of Eighth
Dillon Harp doubled to right-center field to score runs to bring Missouri Baptist within one run, at 8-7
GGC relief pitcher Jordan Tylski entered to close things out, retiring Mason Washington on a groundout to shortstop to end the inning
Inside The Numbers
- Junior lead-off batter C.J. Ballard went 4-for-5 at the plate, with two runs scored and two runs batted in
- The Grizzlies scored six runs over the first two innings
- Five of GGC's eight hits went for extra bases; five players tallied at least one hit for the hosts
- Georgia Gwinnett College batters drew eight walks and were hit by a pitch on two separate occasions
- GGC senior starting pitcher Cole Uvila tied for game-high honors with four strikeouts; the team registered nine strikeouts in the season opener
News & Notes
- GGC stands 1-0 on the season, while Missouri Baptist is 0-1 in 2018
- GGC was ranked No. 12 in the NAIA preseason poll; Missouri Baptist was No. 6 after qualifying for the NAIA World Series a season ago
- The Grizzlies are 5-1 in season openers in program history
- Thursday's game was the 200th home game in GGC history; the program has posted a 157-43 (78.5 percent) record over those home games
Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College continues the three-game series with Missouri Baptist Friday, Jan. 26, at 1 p.m. from the Grizzly Baseball Complex.
