Late-inning offense carried the No. 7-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team to a pair of victories at Reinhardt University (Ga.) on Wednesday evening in Waleska, Ga.

Sophomore Nick Barnes hit a walk-off grand slam home run as the Grizzlies (25-8) won the opener 9-8, which completed a suspended game from Feb. 20 in Lawrenceville. Then, senior C.J. Ballard broke a 3-3 game in the second contest with a two-run single in the eighth inning earning a 5-3 victory.

In the first game, Reinhardt scored two runs to take a 6-5 lead in the top of the eighth inning, when the game was resumed. The Eagles would add two more runs one inning later.

However, the Grizzlies battled back by loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning.  That's when Barnes hit his grand slam in a pinch-hitting role.

GGC also overtook a Reinhardt lead in the second game. A three-run third inning gave the hosts a 3-1 lead. A solo home run by sophomore Livingston Morris cut the deficit to one run, 3-2, in the fourth inning.

That score would remain until the pivotal eighth inning. A bases-loaded walk to senior Brandon Robinson tied the game. Then, Ballard followed with the two-out, two-run single.

Senior relief pitcher Tucker Plouffe picked up the victory after facing the minimum of nine batters across three innings. Junior Pedro Garcia had seven strikeouts in six innings during the starting assignment.

Ballard, the leadoff hitter, collected two of the team's seven hits.
 
Turning Point
Facing a deficit for the second time on Wednesday, the Grizzlies used another late-inning rally to score a victory – the seventh during the past eight games. Senior C.J. Ballard had the clutch single to left field, with two outs, to break a 3-3 tie for a decisive 5-3 lead. In the first game, the team received a walk-off grand slam from sophomore Nick Barnes.
 
Key Plays
First Game
Bottom of Ninth
Nick Barnes connected on a walk-off grand slam home run as the Grizzlies came back for a 9-8 victory
 
Second Game
Top of Third
Cam Coursey opened the scoring with a bases-loaded infield single
 
Bottom of Third
Hector Torres gave the Eagles a 3-1 lead with a two-run single
 
Top of Fourth
Livingston Morris hit a solo home run to trim the deficit to 3-2
 
Top of Eighth
Brandon Robinson drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game
C.J. Ballard added a two-run single to break the 3-3 tie
 
Inside The Numbers

• The Grizzlies collected 13 between the two games
• GGC's hitters drew eight walks in both games
• Sophomore Cam Coursey recorded two of the team's four steals in the second game
• GGC's outfielders combined for nine putouts in the second game

News & Notes

• GGC improves to 25-8 on the season; Reinhardt falls to 13-13
• Georgia Gwinnett College is No. 7 in the NAIA Top 25 poll
• Junior Pedro Garcia was the starting pitcher in both games; the first contest was a suspended game from Feb. 20 in Lawrenceville; he tossed 5.2 innings in that game and came back with six innings in Wednesday's second game
• GGC has won three straight games and seventh of the past eight contests

Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to play a three-game series at Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Fla., on March 29-30.