The No. 8-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team celebrated Senior Day by getting contributions from every player to score 39 runs in two games against Association of Independent Institutions opponents Saturday afternoon at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

The Grizzlies (37-9) opened the day with a 27-1 victory against Talladega College (Alabama) – a single-game scoring school record – before outscoring Fisher College (Massachusetts) 12-2 Saturday afternoon.

The team has scored 116 runs during its current eight-game winning streak and has scored 20 or more runs on five separate occasions this season.

After falling behind 1-0 on a solo home run, GGC sent 20 batters to the plate to tally 14 runs in the bottom of the first inning against Talladega. The offense continued to blossom by pushing across seven more runs in the second frame for a 21-1 advantage.

Junior Livingston Morris went 3-for-4, with four RBI, and scored two runs. He drove in a pair of runs with a triple during the first inning. He added a two-run double in the fourth frame.

After being honored in pregame Senior Day ceremonies, senior Kyle Harvey scored three times and was 2-for-3 at the plate and classmate Griffin Keller legged out a double as part of two hits and scoring three runs.

Sophomore Jake Defries connected on a three-run homer during his second plate appearance in the first inning, while junior Gabe Howell added a two-run home run during the big opening inning.

Nine different Grizzlies recorded at least two hits in the contest.

Junior starting pitcher Kevin Kyle improved to 7-0 on the season with four strong innings on the mound. The right hander struck out four batters before turning the ball over to three relievers. They followed by each tossing a scoreless inning.

The big offensive innings continued against Fisher as GGC pushed across eight runs during the second inning.

Sophomore Dylan Smith connected on a two-run home run to give the hosts a 3-0 lead. Morris added a two-out, two-run single and freshman Chase Evans capped the fame by bringing home a pair of runs with a base hit through the right side of the infield.

A few innings later, Keller connected on a solo home run in the fifth inning to stretch the lead to nine runs, 11-2. He lined a walk-off single to right field in the seventh inning. Keller went 5-for-7, with four RBI, and scored five runs Saturday.

Freshman right hander Gage Williams scattered six hits across five quality innings to pick up the pitching victory. Junior Rhian Mann registered four strikeouts in two scoreless innings against the Falcons.


 
"The 14-run first inning (against Talladega) was quite impressive. Our offense is rising in confidence and we're letting the players display their special talents. It's fun to watch everything coming together in the home stretch of the season," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
 
GGC sent 20 batters to the plate during the first inning against Talladega, scoring 14 runs and collecting 13 hits. Sophomore Jake Defries and junior Gabe Howell each hit home runs in their second plate appearances. The Grizzlies added seven more runs in the second inning of the day's first game.
 
Talladega Game
Bottom of First
Livingston Morris brought home a pair of runs with a triple
Austin Bates added a run-scoring single to stretch the lead to 4-1
Jake Defries hit a three-run home run to give the Grizzlies a 9-1 lead
Gabe Howell connected on a two-run homer over the left field fence
 
Bottom of Second
Chase Evans legged out a two-run triple
Cord Johnson lined an RBI single to center field during a seven-run inning
 
Fisher Game
Bottom of First
Griffin Keller brought home Jake Defries with an RBI single to center field
 
Bottom of Second
Dylan Smith connected on a two-run home run to give the Grizzlies a 3-0 lead
Livingston Morris lined a two-run single with the bases loaded
Chase Evans drove in a pair of runs with a single to cap the team's eight-run inning
 
Bottom of Fifth
Griffin Keller hit a solo home run over the right field fence to extend GGC's lead to 11-2
 

• The Grizzlies' 33 hits contributed to 39 runs across Saturday's two games
• The team drew 21 walks in the two games, highlighted by 13 walks against Talladega
• GGC recorded 12 extra-base hits (six doubles, four home runs and two triples)
• Six GGC pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts during the 14 innings pitched for the day

• GGC improves to 37-9 on the season; Fisher is 29-16 this spring; Talladega stands 15-28 in 2021
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 8 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll
• The team has scored 116 runs during its current eight-game winning streak
• All three teams are members of the Association of Independent Institutions and will compete in the A.I.I. Baseball Championship, being hosted by GGC from May 8-11

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host Fisher College (Massachusetts) in a doubleheader to conclude the regular season on Tuesday, May 4, from the Grizzly Baseball Complex, starting at 2 p.m.