The Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team picked up its first win of the 2020 season in splitting a doubleheader Friday at No. 4-ranked Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla.

The Grizzlies (1-2) won the opener 9-8 before the Fire (2-1) earned a 15-2 victory in the nightcap.

GGC jumped out to a 9-1 lead in the opener after senior Gabe Austin connected on a three-run home run in the fourth inning. Junior Nick Tanner hit a solo home run during the third inning. Earlier, junior Austin Bates had a two-run double that gave the team a 4-0 lead in the second frame.

Southeastern battled back to score two runs in each of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to cut the deficit to 9-7. Nick Bottari and Pedro Castellano each hit two-run home runs during those middle innings.

Georgia Gwinnett College freshman reliever Alex Cook got out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning with an inning-ending double play. Junior shortstop Gabe Howell dove up the middle to start the defensive play. Cook tossed 1.2 scoreless innings to pick up the save in his collegiate debut.

Junior right hander Matt Hunt struck out four batters in 3.2 relief innings to pick up the victory.

In the second game, the Fire scored five runs in the third inning to break open a 2-2 contest. Tanner gave GGC a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a two-run single. The Grizzlies scored first in all three games of the series. Southeastern added six runs in the fifth inning.

PHOTOS
  The Grizzlies were holding onto a 9-8 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning of the first game. Southeastern had loaded the bases with one out. Freshman Alex Cook got a ground ball to shortstop junior Gabe Howell to begin an inning-ending double play, keeping GGC out in front. Cook then tossed a scoreless ninth inning to secure the victory
  "The opener was another very good college baseball game. We got up 9-1 and this young team found out that you need to put an opponent away when you have them down. Gabe's play was gigantic (starting an inning-ending Southeastern rally). You can feel the momentum shift from dugout to dugout and that play moved things in our direction for the rest of the game. Overall, these games allowed us to learn a lot about ourselves. These are lessons that we can learn upon going forward," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  First Game
Top of Second
Livingston Morris scored on a wild pitch to open a four-run inning for GGC
Austin Bates hit a two-run double down the right field line
 
Top of Third
Nick Tanner connected on a solo home run to left field for the Grizzlies
 
Top of Fourth
Gabe Austin hit a three-run home run deep over the left field wall to give GGC a 9-1 lead
 
Bottom of Fifth
Nick Bottari connected on a two-run home run to start a string of four straight innings with a run for the hosts
 
Bottom of Seventh
Pedro Castellano hit a two-run home run to right field to bring the Fire within 9-7
 
Bottom of Eighth
Luis Cabrera hit a home run to lead off the frame to cut the deficit to 9-8
GGC reliever Alex Cook induces a double play to shortstop to end a bases-loaded jam
 
Second Game
Top of First
Nick Tanner provided GGC's only runs with a two-run single
 
Bottom of First
Nick Bottari tied the game, 2-2, with a sacrifice fly for Southeastern
 
Bottom of Third
Pedro Castellano connected on a solo home run to give the Fire the lead
Carter Bridge hit a three-run home run to extend the lead to 7-2


 

• GGC collected 11 hits in the doubleheader
• Junior Nick Tanner connected on a home run in the third inning of the first game to mark the first homer of the season for the Grizzlies
• Nine pitchers made their 2020 season debuts during the doubleheader

• GGC stands 1-2 on the season; Southeastern is 2-1 on the season
• Georgia Gwinnett College was ranked No. 5 in the 2020 NAIA Preseason Poll; Southeastern stood No. 4 in the same poll
• The Grizzlies lead the all-time series 7-4, including being 4-2 at Southeastern
• Jeremy Sheetinger won his first game as GGC's head coach; he is only the second head coach in program history

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to open the home portion of its schedule with a doubleheader against Georgetown College (Ky.) on Friday, Feb. 7, at 2 p.m. from the Grizzly Baseball Complex.