Freshman Braxton Meguiar delivered a key two-run single with two outs in the top of the ninth inning as the top-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team rallied past Brewton-Parker College (Georgia) 4-3 Tuesday afternoon in Mount Vernon, Georgia. It was the team's first road game of the spring.

The Grizzlies (18-3) took a 2-0 lead in the sixth inning on a solo home run by junior Jake Defries. The visitors maintained that advantage until the eighth inning when Drew DeMasi connected on a three-run home run to give the Barons a 3-2 lead.

Sophomore Chase Evans started the ninth inning rally with a walk. Sophomore Joshua Holt Jr. reached base with one out after being hit by a pitch. A ground out to second base advanced both runners into scoring position for senior Austin Bates. The Barons (6-15) choose to put Bates on first base through an intentionally walk to load the bases, with two outs.

That set up Meguiar's key at bat. The freshman lined a 2-2 pitch back up the middle to score sophomore pinch runner Adam Alicea-Brooks and Holt Jr. to regain the lead, 4-3.

Brewton-Parker attempted a rally of its own in the bottom of the ninth inning. A base hit and stolen base put the potential game-tying run into scoring position with two outs. However, junior reliever Alex Friesen got a flyout to center field to secure the victory. The right-hander picked up his first save of the season.

GGC took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when Bates led off the frame with a triple and later scored on the same play.

Senior reliever Maddex Richardson picked up the victory, his second of the season, by getting the final two outs of the eighth inning. Senior starting pitcher Gavin Heltemes struck out a career-high 11 batters across six innings.

Bates and Defries led GGC's eight-hit offensive attack with each going 2-for-4 in the game.
 
"It was an adjustment playing on the road. It was good that the game swung back around and we competed on our own terms. The bottom of the lineup set up the stage for Braxton (Meguiar). Gavin (Heltemes) was fantastic and did everything that was asked to get us six strong innings," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
 
The bottom of the hitting lineup propelled GGC's ninth-inning comeback victory. Sophomore Chase Evans drew a leadoff walk before being replaced by sophomore pinch runner Adam Alicea-Brooks. A hit by pitch to sophomore Joshua Holt Jr. put two runners on base with one out. Sophomore pinch hitter Cohen Wilbanks grounded out to second base to move Alicea-Brooks and Holt Jr. into scoring position. An intentional walk to senior Austin Bates loaded the bases, with two outs, before freshman Braxton Meguiar delivered a two-run single up the middle for two runs and the road victory.
 
Top of Fourth
Austin Bates led off the frame with a triple and later scored on the same play
 
Top of Sixth
Jake Defries connected on a solo home run to give the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead
 
Bottom of Eighth
Drew DeMasi hit a three-run home run to give Brewton-Parker the lead, 3-2
 
Top of Ninth
Braxton Meguiar hit a two-out, two-run single for the go-ahead hit
 

• Brewton-Parker outhit GGC by a 9-8 margin
• Senior Austin Bates and junior Jake Defries each recorded two hits in the victory
• Four pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts, highlighted by 11 strikeouts from starting pitcher Gavin Heltemes
• Senior Maddex Richardson recorded his second win of the season out of the bullpen

• GGC improves to 18-3 on the season; Brewton-Parker falls to 6-15 in 2022
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 1 in the 2022 NAIA Top 25 preseason poll
• Georgia Gwinnett College was playing its first road game of the season
• GGC has won all four meetings with Brewton-Parker in the series

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to begin a three-game weekend series against Webber International University (Florida) with a single nine-inning game on Friday, March 11, in Babson Park, Florida, starting at 6 p.m.