Champions wear gold.

Each of the Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team's 10 prior championship triumphs have had the players wearing their Vegas Gold uniform shirts.

That winning legacy continued Wednesday afternoon as the second-seeded "golden" Grizzlies culminated a clean sweep of the NAIA Opening Round's Lawrenceville Bracket with a convincing 13-1 victory against top-seeded Hope International University (California) at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

"Throughout our program's history, every championship has occurred when we're wearing our gold jerseys," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger. "There's something special that happens when we put on those gold jerseys. It makes us play so well."

GGC scored double-digit run totals on each day to defeat three different opponents in the Lawrenceville Bracket – tallying 37 runs on 47 hits.

The tournament hosts benefited from two Hope International defensive miscues in the third inning. A run-scoring single by junior Myles McKisic broke the game open in the fourth inning. He later scored on an RBI ground out to the pitcher. Junior Jake Defries had a triple that produced another run to cap a four-run frame that extended the lead to 6-0.

A few innings later, the Grizzlies used home runs from sophomore Chase Evans and senior J.D. Stubbs to provide a commanding 10-1 advantage.

"We all knew what was at stake this week," said Stubbs. "I've been keeping my head still at the plate. That has allowed me to hit the ball hard. Since I'm a big strong guy, when my hitting stance remains simple, good things usually happen."

A single by Defries brought home a pair of runs in the eighth inning. He was 3-for-4 and drove in four runs during Wednesday's game. The shortstop also successfully stole two bases to break the program's single-season record of 55 steals.

GGC tallied 17 hits in Wednesday's game with junior Blaze O'Saben, Defries and Stubbs each recording three hits. O'Saben scored four runs in the victory.

Junior starting pitcher Rob Hamby scattered five hits and allowed just one run across seven strong innings to pick up his eighth victory of the season. One of his four strikeouts came at a key stretch in the top of the third inning when the Royals loaded the bases in the scoreless contest. The strikeout ended the scoring threat.

GGC proceeded to score two runs in the bottom of the third and added four more runs in the fourth to take an early edge.

"Rob's (strikeout) moment was gigantic," said Sheetinger. "You could feel the (game's) momentum swing to our side at that point in the game. I'm so proud of the way Rob pitched in giving us seven strong innings."

Senior Kevin Kyle tossed a scoreless eighth inning before junior Jonathan Haab worked a scoreless ninth to secure the victory.

 

BASEBALL HIGHLIGHTS! Georgia Gwinnett College sweeps through the Lawrenceville Bracket defeating @HIURoyals Wednesday and clinch a spot in the 2022 Avista NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho.#GGCAthletics | #NAIABaseball pic.twitter.com/0LJU7ETVRe

— GGC Athletics (@GGCAthletics) May 18, 2022

  "The players wanted to take this program back to Lewiston (Avista NAIA World Series) and did everything to make that happen. We got the right kind of players on this team. I couldn't be prouder to be the head coach of this group. Winning this (Opening Round) at home, where we spend so much time, and seeing the players dogpile behind the mound is a special moment that I won't ever forget," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  Hope International was threatening to strike first in the game after loading the bases in the top of the third inning. However, junior pitcher Rob Hamby got a key strikeout to keep the Royals off the scoreboard. The Continental Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year allowed just one run across seven innings in the game. GGC responded to score two runs in the bottom half of the third inning and added four runs one inning later to build a 6-0 lead.
  Bottom of Fourth
Blaze O'Saben scored following an error in the outfield after a single from Braxton Meguiar
A throwing error after a base hit from Jake Defries allowed Braxton Meguiar to score
 
Bottom of Fourth
Myles McKisic hit a run-scoring single through the left side to begin the team's big inning
Braxton Meguiar brought home Myles McKisic with an RBI ground out to the pitcher
Jake Defries added an RBI triple to give the Grizzlies a 6-0 lead
 
Bottom of Sixth
Jake Defries hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Blaze O'Saben
 
Bottom of Seventh
Chase Evans opened the frame with a home run to right field
J.D. Stubbs connected on a solo home run
 
Bottom of Eighth
Jake Defries hit a two-run single to score the team's 12th run of the contest
 

• The Grizzlies collected 17 hits in Wednesday's victory
• Junior Jake Defries set the program's single-season stolen base record of 56 stolen bases with two successful steals in the contest
• GGC recorded six extra-base hits in the victory
• Junior Rob Hamby collected his eighth pitching win of the season

• GGC improves to 45-14 on the season; Hope International ended the 2022 season with a 43-15 record
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 10 in the final NAIA Top 25 regular season poll; Hope International stood No. 7 in the same poll
• GGC is the No. 2 seed of the NAIA Opening Round Lawrenceville Bracket; Hope International was the No. 1 seed in the four-team tournament field
• GGC will be making its fifth trip to the Avista NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho; the team won the 2021 national championship

Georgia Gwinnett College will be competing at the Avista NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho, with play scheduled to begin on May 27.