After the Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team scored twice in the eighth inning to force extra innings, St. Thomas University (Florida) pushed across the game-winning run in the 10th inning to win a thrilling matchup of top NAIA teams 7-6 Friday night at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

The No. 3 Grizzlies (0-1) jumped out to 4-0 lead in the first two innings. Junior outfielder Nick Barnes connected on a three-run home run in the first inning. The homer to left field gave Barnes the career program record with 24 home runs.

Junior shortstop Gabe Howell added a RBI triple to center field in the second inning to extend the early lead.

St. Thomas (1-2), ranked No.  4 in the preseason poll, would push across five runs in the third inning to take a 5-4 lead.

The bullpens would take over in the middle innings as sophomore Rob Hamby tossed four scoreless innings in relief. St. Thomas reliever Jose Machado worked around three walks to pitch 1.1 scoreless innings.

In the bottom of the eighth the Grizzlies rallied as Howell connected on a run-scoring double. He would later score the tying run, making it 6-6, on Barnes' sacrifice fly.

Then, came an unfortunate play for GGC in extra innings that allowed the visitors to push across the deciding run.

Junior catcher Austin Bates and junior outfielder Myles Smith joined Howell in collect multiple hits for the Grizzlies.


  St. Thomas took advantage of two Georgia Gwinnett College defensive errors on the same play to score the go-ahead run in the 10th inning. Jack Khawly attempted to steal second base, resulting in GGC pitcher Tyler Clayton to make a throw to first baseman Tate Kight. Kight's proceeding throw to second base struck Khawly's helmet, with the ball bouncing into left field. Then, the ball was bobbled in the outfield. That allowed Khawly to round third base and come across home plate with a winning run. 
  Bottom of First
Nick Barnes connected on a three-run home run over left field to give the Grizzlies a 3-0 lead
 
Bottom of Second
Gabe Howell hit a RBI triple to score Myles Smith
 
Top of Third
Daniel Mondejar led off the inning with a home run
Josue Rangel hit a run-scoring single to cut the deficit to 4-2
Alejandro Rivero tied the game with a sacrifice fly
Andrew Fernandez scored from third base on a throwing error to give the Bobcats a 5-4 lead
 
Bottom of Eighth
Gabe Howell lined a RBI double to bring home Myles Smith and bring GGC within 6-5
Nick Barnes hit a sacrifice fly to square the contest
 
Top of 10th
Jack Khawly scored from first base following two defensive errors
 

• GGC outhit St. Thomas by a 9-5 margin
• Junior Nick Barnes drove in four runs
• Juniors Austin Bates, Gabe Howell and Myles Smith collected multiple-hit performances
• GGC turned three double plays in the contest

• GGC is 0-1 on the season; St. Thomas stands 1-2 in 2021
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 3 in the NAIA Top 25 preseason poll; St. Thomas stood No. 4 in the same poll
• Junior Nick Barnes connected on his school-record 24th career home run during the first inning

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host No. 21-ranked Bryan College (Tennessee) on Saturday, February 6, at 6 p.m. from the Grizzly Baseball Complex.