The Georgia Gwinnett College softball team needed two wins on Tuesday to keep its 2022 season alive at the Lawrenceville Bracket of the 2022 NAIA Opening Round.

The Grizzlies got the first victory with a 3-0 victory against the University of Michigan-Dearborn. However, they lost 5-2 to Saint Xavier University (Illinois) in the nightcap.

GGC concluded the season with a 36-20 record and won the inaugural Continental Athletic Conference championship.

The team's three runs against the Wolverines (30-13) came in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sophomore pinch hitter Kloey Goins came off the bench to hit a two-run single to right field that brought home freshmen Angelica Gallegos and Lindzie Owen. A few batters later, junior Sydney Pelaez lined an RBI double to score Goins.

Freshman pitcher Kailyn Berry struck out six batters and allowed just one hit in picking up her 11th victory of the season.

In the nightcap, Saint Xavier (38-7) jumped out to a 2-0 lead through the first four innings. Brittany Schultz hit a run-scoring single in the bottom of the third inning. One inning later, Maddie Meisl scored on the back end of a double steal attempt to double the Cougars' lead.

The No. 2-seeded Grizzlies battled back as senior Piper Wagner hit an RBI single up the middle to score Pelaez in the top of the fifth inning. The base hit cut GGC's deficit to 2-1.

However, Saint Xavier added three key insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to secure the victory and advance into the championship round of the tournament.

Wagner lined an RBI double to right-center field in the top of the seventh inning to bring home sophomore Josie Haulk and bring the Grizzlies within the 5-2 final margin.

Wagner concluded her standout career at the NAIA Opening Round. The three-time All-American holds GGC program career records with 24 home runs and 59 doubles. She also recorded 204 hits and helped the Grizzlies advance to two NAIA World Series.

"Piper has been a part of half (five) of our program's (10) seasons, was a member of two World Series teams, went overseas with us, and was a big reason we were off to a good start in 2020," said Head Coach Kat Ihlenburg. "This has been her first injury-free season. There aren't many better middle infielders in the country with her power and range. She's a player you're proud to have in your program."

 

SOFTBALL HIGHLIGHTS! Georgia Gwinnett College scores three runs in the sixth inning to defeat @UMDearbornSB and face Saint Xavier (Ill.) later today at the Lawrenceville Bracket.#GGCAthletics | #NAIASoftball | #BattleForTheRedBanner pic.twitter.com/eBTaiw3Jw6

— GGC Athletics (@GGCAthletics) May 17, 2022

  "We left too many runners on base in this tournament. We got 16 hits today across the two games and only scored five runs. We just didn't execute today. Defensively, we need to make some sharper plays. It's hard to overcome those things happening," said Head Coach Kat Ihlenburg.
  The Grizzlies got within a run at 2-1 in the fifth inning, but Saint Xavier scored three key insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to secure the victory. Morgan Haefling hit a run-scoring single through the left side and Brittany Schultz drove in a pair of runs with a single to left field. The four-run deficit was too much for GGC to overcome. Senior Piper Wagner collected a run-scoring double during the top of the seventh inning.
  Key Plays
Michigan-Dearborn Game
Bottom of Sixth
Kloey Goins hit a two-run single to right field
Sydney Pelaez lined an RBI double to bring home Kloey Goins
 
Saint Xavier Game
Bottom of Third
Brittany Schultz opened the scoring with an RBI single to bring home Lyda Robinson
 
Bottom of Fourth
Maddie Meisl scored on the back end of a double steal attempt to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead
 
Top of Fifth
Piper Wagner lined a run-scoring single up the middle to cut the deficit in half
 
Bottom of Sixth
Morgan Haefling hit an RBI single to left field to bring home a key insurance run
Brittany Schultz added a two-run single
 
Top of Seventh
Piper Wagner hit an RBI double to right-center field to bring home Josie Haulk
 

• The Grizzlies tallied 16 hits across Tuesday's two games, with nine hits coming in the Saint Xavier contest
• Senior Piper Wagner went 3-for-4 and drove in both of GGC's runs against Saint Xavier – her final game as a Grizzly
• Sophomore Logan Oller recorded three sacrifice bunts in the Michigan-Dearborn victory
• Freshman Kailyn Berry allowed one hit against Michigan-Dearborn to pick up her 11th victory of the season

• GGC ends the 2022 season with a 36-20 record; Michigan-Dearborn ended the season at 30-13; Saint Xavier stands 38-7 on the season
• The Grizzlies were the No. 2 seed in the Lawrenceville Bracket of the NAIA Opening Round; Michigan-Dearborn stood as the No. 4 seed; Saint Xavier was the No. 3 seed in the four-team double-elimination tournament
• GGC is hosting the NAIA Opening Round for the sixth consecutive postseason

 

SOFTBALL HIGHLIGHTS! @SXUAthletics advances to the championship round of the Lawrenceville Bracket by defeating Georgia Gwinnett College in Tuesday's final game.#GGCAthletics | #NAIASoftball | #BattleForTheRedBanner pic.twitter.com/2EYIuq0Sk6

— GGC Athletics (@GGCAthletics) May 18, 2022