The NAIA No. 7-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team pushed across seven runs in the first inning and added six more runs one inning later in scoring a season-high 17 runs during Saturday evening's 17-2 victory against West Virginia Tech at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

That victory came after the Grizzlies (7-2) suffered a 11-10 loss to Thomas University (Georgia), when the Nighthawks scored six runs in the top of the seventh inning for the come-from-behind victory.

Junior Jon Ponder paced the hosts' offensive attack for the day by going 7-for-9, with five runs scored, in the two games. He went 4-for-4 and scored three times in the evening victory. Two of those hits came in the productive opening inning. Ponder's two-run triple gave GGC a 7-0 lead.

One inning later, sophomore Brody Parkerson collected a run-scoring single to jumpstart the six-run frame. Junior Jesus Pacheco added a two-run single to left field. Sophomore Braxton Meguiar had an RBI double later in the inning.

Sophomore starting pitcher Ben Harris struck out seven batters across six strong innings to improve to 2-0 on the season.

Senior Blaze O'Saben went 3-for-5 and scored three runs while sophomore Brett Dingess and Pacheco joined juniors Ajay Sczepkowski and Cohen Wilbanks in collecting two hits. The team totaled 18 hits against West Virginia Tech.

In the day's first game, Thomas scored the tying and go-ahead runs, both with two outs, in the top of the seventh inning as part of a six-run frame. The Nighthawks (4-10) began the comeback with an RBI single from Michael Sowers to trim the deficit to four runs, 9-5. Hunter Kern followed with a two-run single and another run came across during a double play. Then, Jose Class Jr. was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to tie the game at 9-9. Luis Rodriguez-Gallo drew a bases-loaded walk to score the eventual game-winning run.

The Grizzlies scored four runs in the fourth inning to grab a 5-1 lead. Meguiar hit an RBI single to center field and later successfully stole home for the team's fifth run of the contest. By the sixth inning Thomas had closed the gap to 5-4 before GGC responded with four more runs in the bottom half of the frame. A run-scoring single from Devin Warner brought home Meguiar and give the hosts a 9-4 lead heading into the seventh inning.


  "The first game didn't go as we had planned. However, I was proud of how the players came out after we challenged them to do better. Ben (Harris) pitched very well and our offense really showed up. We set a positive tone by making a statement in the first inning," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  The Grizzlies quickly got over the disappointment of Saturday's first-game setback by scoring seven runs in the first inning and adding six more runs in the next inning against West Virginia Tech. Junior Jon Ponder collected a pair of hits in the first inning. Senior Blaze O'Saben went 3-for-5 and scored three times while juniors Jesus Pacheco, Ajay Sczepkowski and Cohen Wilbanks joined sophomore Brett Dingess in collecting multiple-hit performances in the nightcap.
  Thomas Game
Bottom of Fourth
Jon Ponder hit a two-run double to give the Grizzlies a 3-1 lead
Braxton Meguiar followed with a run-scoring single
Braxton Meguiar successfully stole home for the team's fourth run of the inning
 
Bottom of Sixth
Devin Warner hit an RBI single to bring home Braxton Meguiar and give the Grizzlies a 9-4 lead
 
Top of Seventh
Michael Sowers hit a run-scoring single to bring the Nighthawks within four runs, 9-5
Hunter Kern followed with a two-run single
Jose Class Jr. was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to tie the game, 9-9
Luis Rodriguez-Gallo drew a bases-loaded walk to score the eventual game-winning run
 
West Virginia Game
Bottom of First
Ajay Sczepkowski's RBI double scored Jon Ponder and open a seven-run inning
Cohen Wilbanks delivered a two-run single
Jon Ponder legged out a two-run triple to give the Grizzlies a 7-0 lead
 
Bottom of Second
Brody Parkerson hit a run-scoring single through the right side of the infield to open a six-run frame
Jesus Pacheco drove in a pair of runs with a single to left field
Braxon Meguiar added a run-scoring double to score the team's 13th run of the contest
 
Bottom of Third
Brett Dingess hit an RBI triple to score Blaze O'Saben
 
Bottom Fifth
Ryan Hunt had a RBI ground out to extend the lead to 17-2
 

• GGC collected 31 hits across Saturday's two games, highlighted by 18 hits against West Virginia Tech
• Junior Jon Ponder went 7-for-9 and scored five runs on Saturday
• Sophomore Braxton Meguiar stole three bases against Thomas, including a successful steal of home
• Sophomore Ben Harris recorded seven strikeouts across six innings against West Virginia Tech

• GGC stands 7-2 in 2022; Thomas is 4-10 on the season; West Virginia Tech is 1-8 this spring
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 7 in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 poll
• The team's 17 runs scored against West Virginia Tech are a season high

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to conclude the busy weekend with a game against West Virginia Tech on Sunday, February 19, at the Grizzly Baseball Complex, starting at 1 p.m.