The No. 15-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College softball team sent 13 batters to the plate to score 10 runs in the first inning of the second contest in splitting a road doubleheader Friday afternoon at Thomas More University in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.

The big first inning helped the Grizzlies (25-13) win the second game 13-2 after the Saints (10-15) took the opener 4-3.

Senior Piper Wagner anchored the offensive attack with three hits, part of a 3-for-4 game, and driving in six runs. Two of the senior's hits came in the productive first inning – the first was a run-scoring double for a 2-0 lead and then a three-run home run to cap the 10-run frame. That round-tripper tied the program record of 21 career home runs.

Run-scoring doubles by sophomores Logan Oller and Josie Haulk gave the Grizzlies a 5-0 lead. Junior Sydney Pelaez added an RBI single in the opening inning.

Sophomore Lani Trent capped GGC's scoring with an RBI double in the fourth inning.

Nine different players tallied a hit in the victory for the Grizzlies, with Haulk joining Wagner as multi-hit performers with two hits.

Freshman Kailyn Berry scattered five hits and allowed two unearned runs in the complete-game pitching victory. The right hander has now won her last three outings.

In the first game, the Grizzlies mounted a rally to turn an early 4-0 deficit to within one run by the seventh inning. Oller began the comeback with a run-scoring single in the fourth inning. Then, in the productive seventh frame, Pelaez cut the deficit in half, 4-2, with an RBI ground out. Wagner hit a solo home run to bring the Grizzlies within one run, 4-3.
  Turning Point
The Grizzlies shook off the disappointment of dropping the opener by scoring 10 runs in the first inning of the second contest. GGC sent 13 batters to the plate and took advantage of two fielding errors in the outfield. Senior Piper Wagner collected a pair of hits in the inning with a three-run homer capping the team's big inning.
  First Game
Bottom of Second
Baylee Hobeika hit a two-run home run
Hailey McAdoo added a two-run double
 
Top of Fourth
Logan Oller hit an RBI single to cut the deficit to 4-1
 
Top of Seventh
Sydney Pelaez hit an RBI ground out to score Angelica Gallegos
Piper Wagner connected on a solo home run to bring the Grizzlies within one run, 4-3
 
Second Game
Top of First
Lindzie Owen opened the scoring with a run-scoring single
Piper Wagner hit an RBI double to give the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead
Logan Oller added a run-scoring double
Josie Haulk followed with a run-scoring double to bring home Logan Oller for the team's fifth run of the inning
Sydney Pelaez hit an RBI single
Piper Wagner connected on a three-run home run to give GGC a 10-0 advantage
 
Top of Third
Piper Wagner hit a two-run single to drive in her sixth run of the contest
 
Top of Fourth
Lani Trent added a pinch-hit RBI double to score Josie Haulk and give the Grizzlies a 13-2 lead
 

• The Grizzlies recorded 20 hits across Friday's doubleheader, led by 13 hits in the second game
• GGC hit five doubles in the second contest
• Senior Piper Wagner hit her 21st career home run to tie Sydney Willhite for the top spot in program history

• GGC stands 25-13 this spring; Thomas More stands 10-15 on the season
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 15 in the latest 2022 NAIA Top 25 poll of the regular season
• Friday marked the first true road game of the season for GGC after playing nine games in neutral-site tournaments

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to travel to Montreat College (North Carolina) on Thursday, March 31, from Montreat, North Carolina, starting at 3 p.m.