The No. 7-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team closed out March with an impressive pair of road shutouts, defeating Columbia International University (South Carolina) 10-0 and 5-0 Tuesday afternoon.

Freshman left hander Tyler Clayton took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of the second game only to settle for the shutout after surrendering two hits. He struck out eight batters to improve to 2-1 on the season.

That followed a strong pitching outing from junior Adam McKillican, who recorded nine strikeouts in six scoreless innings to win his second straight starting assignment. The right hander stands 2-2 on the season and has not allowed a run in 12 innings within his last three appearances.

Three GGC pitchers combined for 17 strikeouts over the two games.

The Grizzlies (23-7) got off to a fast start in the opener, jumping out to a 10-0 lead by the fourth inning. Junior right fielder Nick Barnes hit a two-run double to give the visitors a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Senior left fielder Griffin Keller connected on a solo home run to open the scoring.

GGC pushed four runs across in the second inning before a two-run single from freshman second baseman Josh Davis in the fourth inning extended the Grizzlies' lead to 10-0.

In the second game, junior catcher Austin Bates hit a two-run homer to left field in the third frame. Freshman designated hitter Chase Evans added a RBI single to cap the team's three-run inning. The Grizzlies would add two more runs in the fifth following a pair of errors from Columbia International (14-17), which recently defeated No. 1 Tennessee Wesleyan University.

Bates went 6-for-9 to lead GGC's offensive attack that produced 28 hits in the sweep. Barnes added a pair of multiple-hit performances, led by three hits in the opener. Keller went 3-for-4 during the second game and sophomore second baseman Myles McKisic collected two hits in the nightcap.
 
"These were two of the best pitched games that we've had this year. Adam (McKillican) and Tyler (Clayton) had two phenomenal outings. It was fun to watch those guys compete. It is exactly what you need when you go on the road. Offensively, we had balance throughout the lineup in both games," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
 
After a pair of scoreless innings in the second contest, the Grizzlies struck for three runs in the third inning to seize control. Junior Austin Bates hit his first career home run at GGC with a two-run round tripper over the left field fence. Later, freshman Chase Evans added a RBI single to give the Grizzlies the 3-0 advantage.
 
First Game
Top of First
Griffin Keller connected on a solo home run to open the scoring
Nick Barnes hit a two-run double
 
Top of Second
Cord Johnson gave the visitors a 4-0 lead with a run-scoring single
Austin Bates lined a double down the left field line to score Cord Johnson
Jake Defries brought home a pair of runs with a single
 
Top of Fourth
Josh Davis hit a two-run single to give GGC the 10-0 advantage
 
Second Game
Top of Third
Austin Bates hit a two-run home run to left field
Chase Evans added a RBI single to give the Grizzlies a 3-0 lead
 

• The Grizzlies registered 28 hits in the doubleheader sweep
• Three GGC pitchers combined for 17 strikeouts over the two games
• Columbia International made five defensive errors that led to two unearned runs in each contest

• GGC improves to 23-7 this spring; Columbia International drops to 14-17 in 2021
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 7 in the first regular season NAIA Top 25 poll
• GGC has won all four meetings in the series between the two colleges, including the last three encounters by shutouts

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host Johnson University (Tennessee) in a doubleheader on Friday, April 2, at the Grizzly Baseball Complex, starting at 3 p.m.