The No. 11-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team earned a key 6-3 come-from-behind home victory against No. 21 Middle Georgia State University on Wednesday evening at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

The Grizzlies (25-9) picked up their third win against a nationally ranked opponent this season and first in a home game in Lawrenceville.

GGC wasted little time answering MGSU's three-run first inning, coming up with a four-run opening frame to regain the early lead. A wild pitch allowed freshman Braxton Meguiar to score from second base. Junior Jake Defries added an RBI ground out to trim the deficit to 3-2. Sophomore Chase Evans then connected on a two-run home run to cap the big opening frame.

A 90-minute lightning delay had the hosts turning pitching responsibilities to sophomore reliever Gage Williams in the top of the second inning with a pair of Knights (23-10-1) on the basepaths. He allowed only one hit in tossing 2.2 scoreless innings in relief to improve his record to 3-2 on the season.

Junior Antonio Buckley scattered two hits across two scoreless innings before senior Maddex Richardson recorded four strikeouts in three scoreless innings in picking up his second save of the season.

Offensively, junior Blaze O'Saben gave the Grizzlies a 5-3 lead in the second inning with an RBI double. Senior Livingston Morris hit his eighth home run this spring with a solo round-tripper in the seventh inning.

Meguiar paced GGC's 11-hit offensive attack by going 3-for-5 at the plate. Sophomore Joshua Holt Jr., Evans and O'Saben each had two hits in the victory.


  "I'm proud how the team responded in the bottom of the first and the rest of the game while dealing with a lengthy weather delay. They showed some fight that we've been seeking," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  After allowing three runs in the top of the first inning, the Grizzlies responded by scoring four runs in the bottom half of the inning. An RBI ground out from junior Jake Defries brought GGC within a run, 3-2. Sophomore Chase Evans followed with a two-run home run to give the Grizzlies a 4-3 advantage.
  Bottom of First
Braxton Meguiar scored from second base following a wild pitch
Jake Defries hit an RBI ground out to bring home Ryan Hunt
Chase Evans connected on a two-run home run to cap the team's four-run inning
 
Bottom of Second
Blaze O'Saben added a run-scoring double to bring home J.D. Stubbs
 
Bottom of Seventh
Livingston Morris hit a home run to give the Grizzlies a 6-3 lead
 

• The Grizzlies outhit Middle Georgia State by a 11-9 margin
• Junior Blaze O'Saben recorded six putouts from right field in the contest
• Four of GGC's 11 hits went for extra bases, with a pair of doubles and two home runs

• GGC improves to 25-9 on the season; Middle Georgia State falls to 23-10-1 this spring
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 11 in the NAIA Top 25 poll announced Wednesday by the national office; Middle Georgia State stood No. 21 in the same poll
• GGC holds a 9-6 lead in the series with the Knights

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host Florida National University for a doubleheader on Friday, April 8, from the Grizzly Baseball Complex, starting at 3 p.m.