The No. 1-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team captured its fourth straight weekend series by splitting Sunday's doubleheader with the University of Northwestern Ohio. The Grizzlies won the second game 7-4 after losing the opener 9-8 in extra innings.

GGC (13-2) opened the weekend by winning two games from the Racers (10-6) on Saturday at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

A five-run second inning helped the Grizzlies to rebound in the nightcap from the first-game setback. Junior Blaze O'Saben opened the inning with a double and later scored on an RBI single from sophomore Chase Evans. Junior Ryan Hunt gave the Grizzlies a 2-1 lead with a run-scoring double. Senior Austin Bates followed with an RBI triple to left field as the team registered three extra-base hits in the inning.

UNOH got within a run, 5-4, in the fourth inning when Erick Castro cleared the bases with a two-out double. Then, senior Livingston Morris gave the hosts much needed insurance runs with a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth frame.

Sophomore left hander Tyler Clayton struck out six batters across six innings to pick up the victory in the nightcap. Sophomore Gage Williams tossed a scoreless seventh inning to record his second save of the season.

The day's first contest featured nine combined errors with GGC committing six defensive miscues. The team took a 6-5 lead into the sixth inning, but the Racers scored two unearned runs to take the lead, 7-6.

Bates tied the contest in the bottom half of the sixth inning with a two-out base hit to right field to bring home Hunt. UNOH regained the lead in the seventh inning when another unearned run gave the visitors an 8-7 advantage.

However, the Grizzlies once again came back to tie the game in the bottom half of an inning. Evans drew a bases-loaded walk to send the game into extra innings tied at 8-8.

The Racers benefitted from a GGC throwing error to score the decisive run in the top of the eighth inning.

O'Saben led the Grizzlies' offensive attack on Sunday, going 5-for-6 across the doubleheader. He was a perfect 3-for-3 in the nightcap.


 
"It was a hard-fought weekend and my hats off to Northwestern Ohio for giving us some really good games. It provided us with more opportunities to know where we need to get better," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
 
After dropping the opener and falling behind 1-0 in the second game, the Grizzlies took the extra base and hustled to score five runs in the bottom of the second inning. That gave the team the lead for good in the nightcap. Junior Blaze O'Saben started the frame by turning a base hit up the middle into a double by hustling out of the batter's box. He later scored on a base hit from sophomore Chase Evans to tie the game. Junior Ryan Hunt turned a base hit to right field into a double before senior catcher Austin Bates legged out a triple later in the inning.
 
First Game
Top of Sixth
Tyler Grigalis gave the Racers a 7-6 with a run-scoring single to left-center field
 
Bottom of Sixth
Austin Bates squared the contest with an RBI single to right field to score Ryan Hunt
 
Top of Seventh
A throwing error allowed a run to score and give UNOH an 8-7 lead
 
Bottom of Seventh
Chase Evans drew a bases-loaded walk to force extra innings
 
Top of Eighth
Erick Castro reached first on a throwing error to allow the go-ahead run to score
 
Second Game
Bottom of Second
Chase Evans tied the game, 1-1, with an RBI single to score Blaze O'Saben
Ryan Hunt added a run-scoring double to give the Grizzlies a 2-1 lead
Austin Bates legged out a triple as the Grizzlies registered three extra-base hits in the inning
Livingston Morris gave the Grizzlies a 5-1 lead with an RBI ground out
 
Top of Fourth
Erick Castro cleared the bases with a double to bring the Racers within one run, 5-4
 
Bottom of Sixth
Livingston Morris connected on a two-run home run to score some key insurance runs
 

• The Grizzlies recorded 17 hits, with 10 hits coming in the nightcap
• Junior Blaze O'Saben went 5-for-6, highlighted by a 3-for-3 performance in Sunday's second game
• GGC committed 11 defensive errors across the doubleheader

• GGC stands 13-2 on the season; Northwestern Ohio is 10-6 in 2022
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 1 in the 2022 NAIA Top 25 preseason poll
• Georgia Gwinnett College has won 13 of the 15 meetings in the series against Northwestern Ohio

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host Talladega College (Alabama) on Tuesday, March 1, from the Grizzly Baseball Complex, starting at 3 p.m.