The No. 12-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team registered 14 hits to score a season-high runs in defeating No. 17 Clarke University (Iowa) 14-4 in eight innings Friday night from the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

The Grizzlies (13-1) took a 3-0 lead in the second inning on a bases-clearing double by junior Brandon Frazier. GGC used a five-run fourth inning to build a commanding 9-0 lead.

Junior C.J. Ballard went 2-for-4 with three runs scored from the leadoff spot in the batting lineup. Senior Chris Jones had three hits in three at bats, while scoring three additional runs from the No. 2 spot in the lineup.

Frazier drove in four runs and went 2-for-2 at the plate. Junior Onassis Matos and freshman Cord Johnson rounded out the multiple-hit performances.

Junior left hander Gregory Loukinen threw six scoreless innings and struck out 11 batters in picking up the victory. The 11 strikeouts are the most recorded by a GGC pitcher in a game in 2018.

GGC is 10-1 against nationally ranked opposition so far this season, with another game against Clarke and a showdown against No. 2-ranked Faulkner University (Ala.) coming up on Saturday.

Turning Point

The Grizzlies struck for three runs on a bases-clearing double in the second inning. The early run support was all that junior pitcher Gregory Loukinen would need. The left hander tossed six scoreless innings in his second starting assignment of the season.

Key Plays

Bottom of Second

Brandon Frazier hit a double down the right field line that brought home three runs, getting the Grizzlies on the scoreboard early

Bottom of Fourth

Cord Johnson drove in three runs with two outs on a double to center field -- part of a five-run inning

Bottom of Fifth

Alex Garland's run-scoring single to center field scored C.J. Ballard

Inside The Numbers

• GGC scored 14 runs on 14 base hits
• The Grizzlies scored a season-high 14 runs in the game; the previous best mark was 10 runs on three occasions
• C.J. Ballard and Chris Jones went a combined 5-for-7, with six runs scored, while batting in the top two spots in the batting lineup
• Five players recorded multiple hits in the victory
• Gregory Loukinen's 11 strikeouts are the most by a GGC pitcher in a game this season

News & Notes

• Georgia Gwinnett College improves to 13-1 on the season; Clarke falls to 1-7 this spring
• GGC is 11-0 this season at the Grizzly Baseball Complex
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 12 in the NAIA preseason Top 25 poll; Clarke No. 17 in the poll.
• GGC is 10-1 against nationally ranked opponents in 2018
• Georgia Gwinnett College has won all three matchups played between the two colleges.

Up Next

Georgia Gwinnett College plays No. 17 Clarke University (Iowa) Saturday, Feb. 24, at noon before hosting No. 2 Faulkner University (Ala.) at 7 p.m. Both games will take place at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.