The No. 7-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College softball team has been a stingy bunch to open the 2018 season, not allowing a run in its last 31 innings. Meanwhile, the offense has been scoring in bunches, putting 14 and eight runs on the scoreboard in sweeping a pair of five-inning games against West Virginia Tech Sunday afternoon at the Grizzly Softball Complex. 

GGC (8-0) outscored its opponents 59-to-2 in going 6-0 during the weekend Grizzly Classic, and shutout the last five opponents – the longest consecutive shutout streak in program history. The team out-hit its opponents by a 45-to-13 margin over the weekend.

Freshman pitcher Piper Wagner tossed her second shutout of the season, scattering three hits and striking out four batters in Sunday's opener. Sophomore Alexis Eisenberg allowed five hits over five scoreless innings while starting in the circle for the nightcap.

Offensively, senior Niki Cook had multiple hits in both games and scored three runs for the day. Junior Elyssa Melton went 2-for-2 with three runs batted in and scoring three runs in the 14-0 first-game victory. Sophomore Sydney Willhite added two RBI in the opener.

GGC scored 12 runs during the third inning in the first game, and it posted a six-run second inning in Sunday's second contest.

Sophomore Anya Vandersip tallied two hits and drove in a pair of runs to lead the nine-hit attack in the 8-0 victory.

Turning Point

The third inning of Sunday's first game saw the Grizzlies push across 12 runs to take a commanding lead. The first three batters of the inning reached safely. Then, GGC had a stretch where nine consecutive batters reached safely, with one out in the inning.

Key Plays

First Game

Bottom of First

Sydney Willhite drove in RaeQuinn Rossetti and Elyssa Melton with a double that gave GGC a 2-0 lead

Bottom of Third

A two-run double by Elyssa Melton opened the Grizzlies' 12-run inning

Kelli McGrail legged out a triple to score Aubree Cox

Crystal Busbee connected on a two-run double

Ruth Jones drove home Maegan Harden and Elyssa Melton with a two-run double

Second Game

Bottom of Second

Anya Vandersip's two-run single gave GGC an early 2-0 lead

RaeQuinn Rossetti hit a single to score Crystal Busbee for the fourth run of the inning

Aubree Cox capped the six-run inning with a double that scored Elyssa Melton

Bottom of Fifth

Crystal Busbee connected on a run-scoring single that brought home Anya Vandersip

Inside The Numbers

• GGC collected 18 hits in the two games, and out-hit its six Grizzly Classic opponents by a 45-to-13 margin
• Nine different players recorded a hit Sunday
• GGC's five consecutive shutouts is the longest streak in program history; the Grizzlies had four straight shutouts during 2014 and 2015 seasons
• The Grizzlies outscored their opponents by a 59-to-2 margin in the Grizzly Classic

News & Notes

• Georgia Gwinnett College improves to 8-0 on the season; West Virginia stands 0-4 in 2018
• GGC owns a 6-0 record all time against West Virginia Tech
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 7 in the NAIA preseason Top 25 poll

Up Next

Georgia Gwinnett College travels to Reinhardt Invitational Feb. 23-24. The team faces Kentucky Christian University Friday, Feb. 23, at noon. Then, GGC will have a rematch with Bryan College (Tenn.), which came to Lawrenceville for this weekend's Grizzly Classic.