Senior Livingston Morris smashed two-run home runs on his first and last plate appearances and drove in six runs Saturday afternoon to lead the No. 11-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team to a doubleheader sweep 13-3 and 5-3 against Columbia International University (South Carolina) on Senior Day from the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

The outfielder connected on a home run in each game of the three-game weekend series sweep. Those round trippers increased his season total to 13 home runs, matching his production from the entire 2021 season.

Morris's two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning closed out the successful Saturday – after he opened the day with a two-run home run to left field in the first inning.

For the day, the senior went 5-for-6 at the plate, highlighted by a 3-for-3 performance in the second contest.

The Grizzlies (34-12) took a 4-0 lead by the third inning of the first game by scoring one run in the second and third innings. They then used a five-run fifth inning to stretch the advantage to 9-0. Junior Myles McKisic hit an RBI single to score Morris before senior J.D. Stubbs added a run-scoring single.

That was all of the offensive production that junior starting pitcher Rob Hamby would need as he struck out seven batters and scattered five hits across six strong innings to improve to 6-2 on the season.

In the second game, senior Austin Bates opened the scoring with a run-scoring single to center field in the first inning.

Columbia International (18-30) would score three straight runs from the second through the top of the fifth inning to grab a 3-1 lead. However, Morris would deliver for the Grizzlies with a two-run double down the left field line in the bottom half of the fifth frame to tie the contest at 3-3.

Senior reliever Tuck Tucker retired all three batters he faced in a scoreless seventh inning, with a pair of strikeouts. Freshman Braxton Meguiar opened the bottom half of the inning with a single to left field. That's when Morris crushed the ball over the center field fence to put an exclamation point on Senior Day with a 5-3 victory.

Senior starting pitcher Gavin Heltemes had nine strikeouts and allowed one earned run across six innings, but didn't factor in the decision. The win went to Tucker in the stellar relief role.

Prior to the doubleheader the program honored seniors Kevin Kyle, Rhian Mann, Maddex Richardson along with Bates, Heltemes, McKisic, Morris, Stubbs, and Tucker.


 
Coach's Corner
"I'm really proud of how the players handled their business today with special Senior Day pregame festivities. The seniors came out and just played solid baseball. We're still figuring out how to get the best version of our team to show up in each game. The task today was to get two wins and we did a great job of doing that," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
 
Turning Point
Senior Livingston Morris had a stellar day at the plate for the Grizzlies. With the second contest deadlocked at 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning, the senior crushed a two-run walk-off home run to center field to complete the three-game series sweep. Morris hit a home run in both games of the doubleheader and went 3-for-4 with four RBI in Saturday's second contest.
 
Key Plays
First Game
Bottom of First
Livingston Morris hit a two-run home run to left field
 
Bottom of Fifth
Myles McKisic singled to third base to bring home Livingston Morris and give GGC a 7-0 advantage
J.D. Stubbs hit a run-scoring single to cap the team's five-run inning
 
Bottom of Eighth
Ryan Hunt hit a two-run single to center field
 
Second Game
Bottom of First
Austin Bates hit an RBI single to open the scoring
 
Bottom of Fifth
Livingston Morris drilled a two-run double down the left field line to tie the contest at 3-3
 
Bottom of Seventh
Livingston Morris connected on a two-run walk-off home run over the center field fence
 
Inside The Numbers

• The Grizzlies tallied 21 hits in the doubleheader sweep
• Senior Livingston Morris went 5-for-6, drove in six runs and hit two home runs in the two games
• GGC recorded five stolen bases
• Junior center fielder Blaze O'Saben had five putouts during the first contest

News & Notes

• GGC improves to 34-12 in 2022; Columbia International falls to 19-30 this spring
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 11 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll
• The program honored nine senior student-athletes during Senior Day
• GGC has won all seven meetings in the all-time series with Columbia International

Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to continue its home stand with a game against Brewton-Parker College (Georgia) on Tuesday, April 26, from the Grizzly Baseball Complex, starting at 3 p.m.