Another Friday night brought another stellar pitching performance for senior left-hander Hunter Peck on the mound for the No. 5-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team.

This time Peck set a school record with 18 strikeouts – on 106 pitches – in the Grizzlies' 5-0 shutout victory over Lourdes University (Ohio) to open a busy stretch of the spring season at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

The Wakefield, Va., native struck out Lourdes' hitters in order during the second, fifth and sixth innings, and appropriately finished the dominant pitching performance with two more strikeouts in the ninth inning.

So far this season Peck is 4-0, has yet to allow an earned run (for a 0.00 ERA) and has collected 56 strikeouts, with only two walks, over 38 innings.

Ironically, Peck had the previous school record for strikeouts in a game, 13, set during the 2018 season and matched by Pedro Garcia last season.

The 18-strikeout performance is the most collected by a NAIA pitcher so far this spring.

The Grizzlies (19-2) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a fielder's choice RBI from junior Tate Kight. Lourdes (5-3) would threaten in the fourth when Harrison Jackson led off the inning with a double. He advanced to third on a fly ball off the bat of Glen Crabtree. However, Peck struck out the next two opposing hitters to strand the runner at third base.

GGC used some small ball and smart base running to manufacture runs in the middle innings. Junior Steven Lugo scored from third base during a rundown involving senior Gabe Austin. That gave the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning.

One inning later, a bases-loaded walk to junior Gabe Howell stretched the margin to 3-0. Then, senior Kyle Harvey drove in two runs on a ball that did not leave the infield on a fielder's choice play.

Junior Nick Barnes led GGC's nine-hit offensive attack by recording two hits, including a double in the fourth inning.

The Grizzlies have won 18 consecutive games.


  Lourdes opened the fourth inning with a double and a fly out advanced the potential-tying run to third base with less than two outs. However, senior pitcher Hunter Peck wasn't going to allow the Gray Wolves to touch home plate on Friday. He struck out Jay Denman and Brad Ammons to end the inning. The Grizzlies were able to score an insurance run in the fifth and broke the game open by scoring three runs in the sixth inning.
  "Hunter is the ultimate competitor. When you give him the baseball, you know what you're going to get. It was an honor to be present for a school record. It's a night this group of players will always remember, 10 to 20 years down the road," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  Bottom of Second
Tate Kight hit a fielder's choice to bring home Nick Barnes and open the scoring
 
Bottom of Fifth
Steven Lugo scored from third base on a rundown between first and second base
 
Bottom of Sixth
Gabe Howell drew a bases-loaded walk to extend GGC's lead to 3-0
Kyle Harvey drove in two runs on another fielder's choice
 

• GGC outhit Lourdes by a 9-2 margin
• The Grizzlies drew six walks and stole three bases in the victory
• Senior Kyle Harvey and junior Steven Lugo each recorded two defensive assists

• GGC improves to 19-2 on the season; Lourdes stands 5-3 this spring
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 5 in the NAIA Top 25 preseason poll
• GGC has won 18 straight games and is 16-0 at the Grizzly Baseball Complex this season
• Senior Hunter Peck recorded 18 strikeouts, tallying the most strikeouts in a game this season in the NAIA
• Lourdes defeated Talladega 13-1 in seven innings earlier in the day

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host Talladega College (Ala.) on Saturday, March 7, at 6 p.m. from the Grizzly Baseball Complex. GGC and Talladega are members of the Association of Independent Institutions.