Lyon College scored eight runs in the ninth inning to rally past the Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team 13-6 in Friday's series opener at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

The visiting Scots (23-8), ranked No. 18 in the NAIA Top 25 poll, scored 12 runs over their final two innings, turning the tide in the game after trailing 6-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The comeback started behind a four-run eighth inning when Alan West hit a home run. Two fielding errors allowed for three unearned runs to score later in the frame to cut GGC's lead to 6-5.

Then, Lyon scored six runs with one out in the top of the ninth inning. A base hit by Tristan Buschow tied the game, 6-6. Zane Pritchard followed with a run-scoring single to give the team its first lead of the game, 7-6.

GGC (21-8) scored six runs across the first six innings. Sophomore Nick Barnes hit a two-run home run in the first inning. Then, the hosts pushed across three runs in the fifth inning to extend the margin to 5-1. A solo home run by senior C.J. Ballard gave the Grizzlies the 6-1 advantage.

Senior starting pitcher Gregory Loukinen struck out nine batters and scattered five innings across seven innings in a no-decision pitching performance.


 
Turning Point
Lyon began the comeback when Alan West opened the eighth inning with a home run. The base hit came during the first at bat against the GGC bullpen. Two fielding errors allowed three unearned runs to cut the deficit to 6-5. The momentum had shifted and carried over to the ninth inning, when the Scots added eight runs to take the lead and eventually win the contest.
 
Key Plays
Bottom of First
Nick Barnes hit a two-run home run to give the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead
 
Bottom of Fifth
Brody Wofford brought home Nick Tanner for the first of three runs in the inning
Cam Coursey hit a RBI double to give the home team a 4-1 advantage
Gabe Austin hit a run-scoring single to bring home Cam Coursey
 
Bottom of Sixth
C.J. Ballard connected on his first home run of the season
 
Top of Eighth
Alan West led off the inning with a home run, cutting the deficit to 6-2
Troy Strack brought home two runs to narrow the gap, 6-5
 
Top of Ninth
Tristan Buschow tied the game with a run-scoring single
Zane Pritchard gave the Scots their first lead of the game, 7-6, with a RBI single
 
Inside The Numbers

• Both teams collected 12 hits in the game
• Sophomores Cord Johnson, Cam Coursey and Nick Barnes in having multiple-hit performances
• The Grizzlies hit two home runs
• A total of 357 pitches were thrown by the nine pitchers in the game

News & Notes

• GGC falls to 21-8 on the season; Lyon improves to 23-8
• Georgia Gwinnett College is No. 7 in the NAIA Top 25 poll; Lyon stood No. 18 in the same poll
• Friday marked the first meeting between the two programs, even though Lyon played in last year's NAIA Lawrenceville Opening Round tournament
• The team is 18-5 at the Grizzly Baseball Complex this season

Up Next
The two teams continue the weekend series on Saturday, March 23, at 1 p.m. at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.