Offensive production from throughout the lineup accounted for 30 runs as the nationally ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team swept a doubleheader Friday afternoon against Florida National University at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

The pitching and defense also shined bright as the Grizzlies (27-9) won both games in shutout fashion by 14-0 and 16-0 scores. The team's 30 runs came from 30 hits, including 10 doubles, two home runs and one triple.

Freshman Braxton Meguiar paced the productive offense by going 6-for-9 at the plate, with four runs scored while driving in six runs. Junior Jake Defries collected five hits and hit a solo home run during the first contest. Senior Livingston Morris drove in three runs in each game and connected on a home run in the nightcap – his ninth round-tripper of the season.

GGC scored eight runs on seven hits in the third inning of the opener to grab a commanding 10-0 advantage. Three consecutive RBI doubles from senior Austin Bates, Defries and Morris ignited the scoring in the big inning.

Defries then led off the fifth inning with a home run over the right field fence to finish the contest a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.

Sophomore starting pitcher Tyler Clayton recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts in tossing a shutout to improve his record to 3-1 on the season. The left hander scattered four hits and faced 27 batters across the seven-inning outing.

In the second game, the Grizzlies scored six runs in the fourth inning and added five runs an inning later to complete the doubleheader sweep.

Morris led off the second inning with a home run before Meguiar added a run-scoring single to give the 4-0 lead later in the inning.

Two-run doubles from Meguiar and Defries highlighted the big fourth inning.

Junior pitcher Rob Hamby improved to 4-2 on the season by tossing six scoreless innings in the starting assignment. He recorded eight strikeouts. Junior Sam Hunt registered two strikeouts in pitching a scoreless seventh inning to secure the victory.


  "I was very pleased and proud with how the guys approached today's doubleheader. We did a really good job of controlling the strike zone on offense and pitching. I loved our intensity and relentless spirit. I was pleased with how Tyler (Clayton) and Rob (Hamby) pitched today. They deserved to have great starts," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  The Grizzlies scored eight runs on seven hits in the third inning of the first game to build a 10-0 advantage – thanked to a series of RBI doubles. Senior Austin Bates opened the big offensive inning with a run-scoring double to left field. Junior Jake Defries followed with another RBI double before senior Livingston Morris added the third straight RBI double. Sophomore Joshua Holt Jr. and Defries each registered run-scoring singles later in the frame.
  First Game
Bottom of First
Livingston Morris legged out a triple to score a pair of runs
 
Bottom of Third
Austin Bates hit an RBI double to score Braxton Meguiar to give the Grizzlies a 3-0 lead
Jake Defries followed with a run-scoring double
Livingston Morris hit an RBI double
Joshua Holt Jr. added an RBI single to bring home the team's fourth run of the inning
Jake Defries capped the eight-run frame with a run-scoring single
 
Bottom of Fourth
J.D. Stubbs hit a two-run double to score Joshua Holt Jr. and Chase Evans
 
Bottom of Fifth
Jake Defries led off the frame with a home run
 
Second Game
Bottom of Second
Livingston Morris opened the frame with a home run
Adam Alicea-Brooks reached on a fielder's choice to third base to bring home Ryan Hunt
Braxton Meguiar added an RBI single to give the Grizzlies a 4-0 lead
 
Bottom of Third
Livingston Morris hit a sacrifice fly
 
Bottom of Fourth
Braxton Meguiar drove in a pair of runs with a double
Jake Defries added a two-run double to give the Grizzlies a 9-0 advantage
 
Bottom of Fifth
Cohen Wilbanks hit an RBI single to score the team's 13th run of the game
Ryan Hunt capped the scoring with a run-scoring double
 

• The Grizzlies had 30 hits to score 30 runs across Friday's doubleheader sweep
• GGC legged out five doubles in each game
• Freshman Braxton Meguiar went 6-for-9 and drove in six runs in the doubleheader sweep
• The first-game victory gave Jeremy Sheetinger his 100th victory as GGC's head coach

• GGC improves to 27-9 in 2022; Florida National falls to 5-29 on the season
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 11 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll
• Friday's doubleheader marked the first meeting between the two colleges
• Florida National and GGC are members of the Continental Athletic Conference

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to conclude the three-game series against Florida National University with a single nine-inning game on Saturday, April 9, from the Grizzly Baseball Complex, starting at 1 p.m.