USC Beaufort (South Carolina) scored two runs with two outs in the ninth inning to rally past the No. 11-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team 5-4 to capture the weekend series opener Friday night from the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

The Sand Sharks (25-24) got three straight base hits with two outs in their plate appearances. Pinch hitter Kryan Russ hit a double to center field before Brock Thibodeaux tied the game, 4-4, with a run-scoring triple off the glove of an outstretched GGC outfielder in deep left-center field. A second pinch hitter in the inning, Julian Galassi, followed with an infield single to shortstop that scored the eventual game-winning run.

The Grizzlies (36-13) jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the second inning. Sophomore Joshua Holt Jr. hit an RBI single through the right side in the opening frame. Freshman Braxton Meguiar executed a successful safety squeeze to bring home senior J.D. Stubbs for the early advantage.

USC Beaufort slowly chipped away at the deficit, eventually tying the contest in the top of the sixth inning. Back-to-back sacrifice flies from Nick Milhan and Alexander Humphrey squared the contest at 3-3.

GGC regained the lead, 4-3, in the bottom half of the sixth inning as junior Ryan Hunt successfully stole third base and then scored following a throwing error.

Sophomore starting pitcher Tyler Clayton scattered three hits and allowed one earned run across seven strong innings but didn't factor in the pitching decision.

Meanwhile, USC Beaufort's Scott Matthews allowed just one hit and recorded two strikeouts in four innings of relief to pick up the victory.
  The visiting Sand Sharks trailed 4-3 before getting three base hits with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to rally for a victory in Friday's series opener. Kryan Russ started things with a pinch-hit double to center field. Then, Brock Thibodeaux hit a triple to deep left-center field that scored Russ to tie the contest at 4-4. Pinch hitter Julian Galassi gave USC Beaufort the lead with an infield single that scored Thibodeaux.
  Bottom of First
Joshua Holt Jr. opened the scoring with a run-scoring single through the right side
 
Bottom of Second
Braxton Meguiar hit a sacrifice bunt to bring home J.D. Stubbs
 
Bottom of Sixth
Ryan Hunt stole third base and later scored following a throwing error to give the Grizzlies a 4-3 lead
 
Top of Ninth
Brock Thibodeau tied the game, 4-4, with an RBI triple
Julian Galassi hit an infield RBI single to shortstop for the game-winning run
 

• USC Beaufort outhit the Grizzlies by a 7-5 margin
• Senior Austin Bates went 2-for-4 at the plate
• Freshman Braxton Meguiar recorded six assists from second base
• The teams combined to commit eight defensive errors, with USC Beaufort making five miscues

• GGC drops to 36-13 in 2022; USC Beaufort improves to 25-24 this spring
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 11 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll
• The team has a 28-6 record at the Grizzly Baseball Complex
• GGC is now 5-1 during its current 10-game home stand that will conclude the regular season

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host USC Beaufort (South Carolina) with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 30, from the Grizzly Baseball Complex, starting at 1 p.m.