Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

The Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team battled to the championship round of the 2018 Association of Independent Institutions Baseball Tournament before losing 5-2 to Talladega College (Ala.) in Monday's championship game at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

The Grizzlies (45-10) earned the opportunity to play for the A.I.I. title after scoring a 12-10 victory against No. 4-seeded Edward Waters College (Fla.) earlier in the day.

Talladega (27-22), the tournament's No. 3 seeded team, jumped out to a 3-0 lead by the third inning. The host Grizzlies got on the scoreboard with a RBI ground out from freshman Cord Johnson that brought home junior Alex Garland to trim the deficit to 3-1 in the top of the fourth.

But, the Tornadoes had an answer as Julian Lopez hit a two-run inside-the-park home run in the bottom half of the inning, giving the team a 5-1 advantage.

The Grizzlies stranded the bases loaded with one out in the eighth inning, and also loaded the bases in the first inning, but couldn't score.

Against Edward Waters, GGC used a five-run fifth inning to take a 12-6 lead. The team scored 12 straight runs after allowing six runs in the second inning. Things got interesting in the top of the ninth inning when the Florida opponent scored three runs and had the potential game-tying run at first base. Junior relief pitcher Jordan Tylski got a ground out to secure the victory.

Junior Onassis Matos went 3-for-4, while Johnson collected two hits and scored two runs against the Tigers. Junior C.J. Ballard also tallied two hits for GGC in the opening game of the day.

Georgia Gwinnett College will be hosting one of the nine NAIA Opening Round sites May 14-17. The national tournament field will be announced Thursday, May 10.

Sophomore Hunter Dollander, Matos and Johnson were named to the 2018 A.I.I. Baseball Championships' all-tournament team.

Turning Point

After GGC cut Talladega's lead to 3-1 in the top of the fourth inning, the Tornadoes stormed back behind a two-run inside-the-park home run to center field from Julian Lopez. The base hit regained the offensive momentum for the Tornadoes.

Key Plays

First Game

Bottom of Second

Onassis Matos hit a run-scoring single to open GGC's scoring in the second inning

Jordan Tylski brought home Chris Jones and a fielding error in the outfield scored Brandon Frazier on the play

Walter Coursey capped the team's four-run inning with a sacrifice fly

 

Bottom of Fourth

Marcus McCorkle gave the Grizzlies their first lead of the game, 7-6, with a RBI triple

 

Bottom of Fifth

C.J. Ballard lined a two-run double to score Brandon Frazier and Cord Johnson

 

Second Game

Top of Fourth

Cord Johnson hit a RBI ground out to bring home Alex Garland to trim GGC's deficit to 3-1

 

Bottom of Fourth

Julian Lopez connected on a two-run inside-the-park home run to center field to give the Tornadoes a 5-1 lead

 

By The Numbers

• GGC collected 22 hits in the two games
• The Grizzlies had a five-run fifth inning and a four-run second inning against Edward Waters
• GGC hitters drew 13 walks in the two games

News & Notes

• Georgia Gwinnett College stands 45-10 on the season; Talladega improves to 27-22 this spring, while Edward Waters' season ended with a 30-25 record in 2018
• GGC is ranked No. 2 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll
• The Grizzlies will be hosting one of the nine NAIA Opening Round sites; the postseason tournament is set for May 14-17

Up Next

Georgia Gwinnett College awaits to learn the remaining four teams competing in the NAIA Lawrenceville Opening Round, starting May 14, at the Grizzly Baseball Complex. The NAIA national office will release all details about the NAIA Opening Round Thursday, May 10.