The No. 12 Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team got clutch relief pitching and timely hitting to rally past No. 6 Missouri Baptist University 5-2 Saturday afternoon, earning a sweep of the season-opening series at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

PHOTOS

Leading 2-1, the visiting Spartans threatened to widen the margin in the top of the sixth inning, when they loaded the bases with no outs. However, GGC senior relief pitcher Stone Kelly came in and got out of the situation with two strikeouts and a pop out.

Georgia Gwinnett College carried the emotional high into the bottom of the frame, pushing across three runs to grab the team's first lead of the game, 4-2. Senior Ryan Lark drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game. Then, senior Chris Jones followed with a two-run single, with two outs, to give the hosts the lead.

Junior C.J. Ballard scored on a wild pitch in the seventh inning to cap the game's scoring.

Kelly struck out three batters and did not allow a hit in four scoreless innings in relief. Meanwhile, junior Alex Garland scored two runs and got the team's first hit in the fifth inning for GGC (3-0).

Missouri Baptist (0-3) had eight hits and left seven runners on the bases in the series finale against the Grizzlies' pitching staff.

Turning Point

Trailing 2-1 in the sixth inning, the Grizzlies turned to a veteran reliever to get out a bases-loaded jam with no outs. Senior left hander Stone Kelly got a strikeout, an infield fly pop up and a called third strike to strand the bases loaded for Missouri Baptist. GGC used the momentum of the situation to grab the lead by scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Key Plays

Bottom of Fifth

Onassis Matos lined a double down the left-field line to score Alex Garland from first base, getting GGC on the board, 2-1

Top of Sixth

Missouri Baptist loaded the bases, with no outs

Stone Kelly strikes out John Hagan swinging for the first out

Miles Fore popped up to first base for the second out of the inning

Kelly strikes out Bobby Strahan looking to keep the deficit for the Grizzlies at 2-1

Bottom of Sixth

Ryan Lark drew a bases-loaded walk to score Jordan Tylski, tying the game at 2-2

Chris Jones lined a two-run single to center field to bring home Alex Garland and Onassis Matos, giving GGC a 4-2 lead

Inside The Numbers

• GGC made the most of its three hits in the game; Junior Alex Garland collected the team's first hit in the fifth inning
• The Grizzlies' defense turned two double plays
• The team drew six walks and had two players hit by a pitch
• Junior Alex Garland scored two of the team's five runs in the contest

News & Notes

• Georgia Gwinnett College swept the series to stand 3-0 on the season, while Missouri Baptist is 0-3 now this spring
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 12 and Missouri Baptist No. 6 in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 poll; MBU qualified for the NAIA World Series last season
• The GGC took the lead with three runs in the sixth inning; each of the runs was unearned
• GGC baserunners successfully stole a base in all three games of the series

Up Next

Georgia Gwinnett College travels to Florida for a three-game series against Webber International University Feb. 2-4.