Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

A season of firsts continues for the No. 1-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College softball program, with the Grizzlies making a historic trip to the NAIA World Series after winning the Opening Round's Lawrenceville Bracket on Tuesday at the Grizzly Softball Complex.

GGC (52-4) defeated the tournament's No. 2-seeded Oregon Tech 4-1 in the deciding championship game of the double-elimination tournament. That game came after the Owls had scored a 4-0 victory over the tournament hosts earlier in the day.

Georgia Gwinnett College has set a single-season school record with 52 victories, earned a No. 1 national ranking and qualified for its first NAIA World Series. This year's tournament will be played May 24-31 in Clermont, Fla. Bracket details will be announced by the national office once the 10 qualifiers are determined.

In the winner-takes-all Opening Round finale, GGC scored two runs in the first inning to grab the early momentum. A run-scoring single from junior Tori Robinson got the team on the scoreboard. A sacrifice fly from sophomore Sydney Willhite scored sophomore RaeQuinn Rossetti for a quick 2-0 advantage.

A solo home run from Oregon Tech's Tara Moates in the top of the third inning trimmed GGC's lead to 2-1.

However, a RBI ground out from Rossetti in the fourth inning gave the Grizzlies a key insurance run, and a solo home run by junior Elyssa Melton in the sixth inning pushed the team to a decisive advantage.

That's all of the offensive support freshman Piper Wagner would need in the pitcher's circle. She went the distance to improve to 19-0 on the season.

Oregon Tech (39-15) brought the game-tying run to the plate in the seventh inning, but a Wagner got a pop out to freshman Holly Janco to end the game and begin the victory celebration.

Earlier, the Owls gave GGC an early knockout punch in the first championship game as Kiahna Brown led off the game with a solo home run. The team then added a run in the third inning and scored two unearned runs in the sixth inning for the 4-0 victory – the first over the Grizzlies in Opening Round play. Pitcher Loryn Williams scattered four hits in the shutout.

Turning Point

The Grizzlies got off to a roaring start in the second game with three consecutive singles by senior Niki Cook, sophomore RaeQuinn Rossetti and junior Tori Robinson off Oregon Tech pitcher Loryn Williams. She was coming off pitching a shutout, 4-0, in the first game of the championship round. Robinson's hit gave the Grizzlies the lead and a sacrifice fly by sophomore Sydney Willhite gave GGC a 2-0 lead.

Key Plays

First Game

Bottom of First

Kiahna Brown led off the game with a solo home run for Oregon Tech

 

Bottom of Third

Tara Moates hit a run-scoring single to give the Owls a 2-0 lead

 

Second Game

Bottom of First

Tori Robinson gave the Grizzlies a 1-0 lead with a RBI single that scored Niki Cook

Sydney Willhite hit a sacrifice fly to bring home RaeQuinn Rossetti

 

Bottom of Fourth

RaeQuinn Rossetti hit a RBI ground out to score Aubree Cox to give GGC a 3-1 lead

 

Bottom of Sixth

Elyssa Melton connected on a solo home run

 

Inside The Numbers

• Niki Cook went 3-for-3 with a run scored in the deciding game against Oregon Tech
• GGC collected 12 hits in the two games
• Piper Wagner improved to 19-0 in the pitching circle this season
• The first team to put a run on the scoreboard went on to win six of the seven games in the Lawrenceville Bracket Opening Round tournament

News & Notes

• Georgia Gwinnett College improves to 52-4 on the season; Oregon Tech ends the 2018 season with a 39-15 record
• GGC won its first NAIA Softball Opening Round title in the program's six-season history
• The Grizzlies' 52 victories are a single-season school record
• GGC is the unanimous No. 1-ranked team in the NAIA Top 25 poll

Up Next

Georgia Gwinnett College will be one of 10 Opening Round champions advancing to the NAIA Softball World Series taking place May 24-31 in Clermont, Fla. Tournament opponents will be announced later by the NAIA national office.