Timely hitting was the key as the No. 7-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team won its opening weekend series with a 5-3 victory against Indiana Wesleyan University on Saturday afternoon at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

Senior outfielder Blaze O'Saben hit a two-run single in the fourth inning to give the hosts a 3-1 lead. He collected two hits in the contest and registered a base hit in all three games in the series.

Sophomore Braxton Meguiar extended GGC's lead to 5-1 with an RBI single that scored junior Jon Ponder in the sixth inning. Earlier, Meguiar put the team on the scoreboard with a two-out single in the third inning.

Sophomore starting pitcher Cameron Repetti registered six strikeouts across five strong innings to pick up the victory in his first Grizzly appearance. Junior Kyle Petri followed by striking out five opposing batters across two innings before seniors Jonathan Haab and Garrett Houston each recorded two strikeouts in tossing scoreless eighth and ninth innings.

Pitchers for GGC (2-1) combined for 46 strikeouts during the season-opening series, earning at least 15 strikeouts in each game.

Indiana Wesleyan attempted a comeback by getting two runs in the top of the seventh inning to get within two runs, at 5-3, and had two more baserunners. That's when Lucas Goodin's line drive into the right-center field gap was caught by a diving Ponder to dramatically end the threat.


  "Cameron gave us a real good start that set the tone for the rest of the day for us. Offensively, our guys got some timely hitting to push runs across just enough runs to win the game," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  The Grizzlies scored a run in each of four consecutive middle innings to build a 5-1 lead. But it was a key defensive play that preserved the victory and captured the season-opening win. A diving catch by junior center fielder Jon Ponder, with the Wildcats having the tying run on base, ended the top of the seventh inning.
  Bottom of Third
Braxton Meguiar tied the game, 1-1, with a two-out RBI single
 
Bottom of Fourth
Blaze O'Saben gave the Grizzlies a 3-1 lead with a two-run single
 
Bottom of Sixth
Braxton Meguiar drove in Jon Ponder with a run-scoring single to give GGC a 5-1 advantage
 
Top of Seventh
Jon Ponder made a diving catch in the right-center field gap to end the frame as the Wildcats had the tying run on base while trailing 5-3
 

• Indiana Wesleyan outhit GGC by an 8-7 margin
• Four Grizzly pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts, bringing the total to 46 strikeouts across the three-game series
• Senior Blaze O'Saben and sophomore Braxton Meguiar each collected two hits and drove in two runs
• Junior Jon Ponder scored two runs in the win

• GGC improves to 2-1 on the season; Indiana Wesleyan dropped to 1-2 this spring
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 7 in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 poll; Indiana Wesleyan received votes in the same nationwide poll of coaches
• Georgia Gwinnett College won the weekend series in the first games between the two colleges
• GGC is opening the 2023 season with 15 straight home games

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host No. 24 Taylor University (Indiana) on Friday, February 10, from the Grizzly Baseball Complex, starting at 11 a.m.