The Georgia Gwinnett College softball team is headed back to the NAIA World Series following a 4-2 come-from-behind victory against the University of Rio Grande (Ohio) in Wednesday's championship game of the Lawrenceville Bracket in the Opening Round at the Grizzly Softball Complex.

GGC (42-14) advances to the NAIA World Series for the second straight season and second time in program history. This year's World Series begins on May 23 in Springfield, Mo.

Freshman Sydney Pelaez lined a RBI double to the left-center field gap that brought home sophomore Piper Wagner in the sixth inning with the eventual game-winning run. Later in the inning, sophomore Holly Janco added an insurance run with an infield single.

The top-seeded Grizzlies tied the game, 2-2, in the third inning. Junior Sydney Willhite hit a RBI single to score junior RaeQuinn Rossetti for the first tally. Senior Crystal Busbee would then score on a RBI ground out by senior Tori Robinson.

Rio Grande (36-16), the tournament's No. 4 seed, had taken a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning on consecutive base hits from Kayla Slutz and Cammy Hesson.

Senior Taylor Hansis picked up her 25th victory of the season, and third straight in the Lawrenceville Bracket, after registering six strikeouts in six innings. Wagner retired all three batters she faced in the seventh inning to record her second save of the tournament.

 

THE FINAL OUT! @GGC_Softball is going to the NAIA World Series #GGCAthletics #NAIASoftball pic.twitter.com/GaTCs2q3fX

— GGC Athletics (@GGCAthletics) May 15, 2019

 
Coach's Corner
"We played the three games this week with a lot of energy. We made adjustments and trusted our process that we have practiced all season. That allowed us to come out victorious today," said Head Coach Kat Ihlenburg.
 
Turning Point
The Grizzlies took their first lead of the contest when freshman catcher Sydney Pelaez lined a double to the left-center field gap that scored sophomore Piper Wagner from first base in the bottom of the sixth inning. That extra-base hit – the only one recorded by GGC in the game – gave the tournament hosts a 3-2 lead. The team would add an insurance run later in the frame and just needed three outs to seal the victory.
 
Key Plays
Top of Second
Kayla Slutz opened the scoring with a RBI single to left field
Cammy Hesson gave the Red Storm a 2-0 lead with a run-scoring double
 
Bottom of Third
Sydney Willhite hit a run-scoring single that brought home RaeQuinn Rossetti to cut the deficit to 2-1
Tori Robinson tied the game, 2-2, with a RBI ground out
 
Bottom of Sixth
Sydney Pelaez lined a RBI double to score Piper Wagner from first base to give the Grizzlies their first lead of the game, 3-2
Holly Janco added an infield single to bring home an insurance run
 
Inside The Numbers

• The Grizzlies collected eight hits in the victory
• Senior pitcher Taylor Hansis won all three games in the Lawrenceville Bracket
• Freshman Sydney Pelaez's double was the only extra base hit in the game for GGC; she was the only hitter on the team to have two hits in the game
• GGC won a pair of two-run games (4-2 and 8-6) and another game by a three-run margin (4-1) during the tournament

News & Notes

• GGC improves to 42-14 on the season; Rio Grande ends the season at 36-16
• Georgia Gwinnett College was the top seed in the double-elimination Lawrenceville Bracket; Rio Grande stood as the No. 4 seed
• The Grizzlies are making their second straight appearances in the NAIA World Series; and second in program history
• GGC has won all six of its postseason games in 2019

Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College advances to play in the NAIA World Series in Springfield, Mo. from May 23-29.