The No. 3-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team tallied 15 hits and connected on three home runs in a 12-2 victory over seven innings against Crowley's Ridge College (Arkansas) on Friday night to begin the Continental Athletic Conference Showdown at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

Sophomore Joe Quelch hit a pair of home run while junior Ajay Sczepkowski hit his 19th round tripper to tie the program's single season mark. Sczepkowski finished a single shy of hitting for the cycle in the contest with the homer along with a triple and a double. He had four runs batted in for the night.

Meanwhile, sophomore starting pitcher Cameron Repetti went the distance on the mound, striking out a career-high 13 batters and scattering two hits in improving to 8-0 on the season. Those two hits, including a two-run home run, came in the first inning as Crowley's Ridge took an early 2-0 lead.

However, GGC (34-5) quickly got those runs back as Sczepkowski's triple to right-center field scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. A passed ball later in the frame allowed Sczepkowski to score and give the hosts a 3-2 lead.

The Grizzlies pushed across three more runs in the second inning. Sczepkowski once again produced in a clutch situation, lining an RBI double to left field before Quelch hit a two-run home run to left field as the team built a 6-2 advantage.

Quelch later led off the sixth inning with a home run while Sczepkowski's smash over the outfield fence came with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The productive duo each recorded three-hit performances to lead the 15-hit offensive attack. Juniors Jon Ponder and Devin Warner joined sophomore Kyle Norton in each collecting two hits.

Crowley's Ridge defeated Voorhees University (South Carolina) 17-4 earlier in the day to start the three-day CAC Showdown.

The Georgia Gwinnett College baseball program will honor its seven seniors during Senior Day festivities prior to first pitch of the Saturday, April 15, game against Voorhees, which is scheduled to start at 5 p.m.


  "I was very impressed with how we responded after falling behind in the first inning. We competed throughout the lineup. Cameron (Repetti) really settled in after the opening inning and threw a complete game. Joe (Quelch) is getting into a nice groove and is starting to produce some strong at-bats in the middle of the batting order," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  The Grizzlies scored three runs during their first two offensive innings to grab an early 6-2 advantage. That early offensive outburst allowed sophomore starting pitcher Cameron Repetti to get into a rhythm on the mound. The right hander did not allow a hit after surrendering a two-run homer to the third batter of the game. Repetti struck out a career-high 13 batters in the complete-game performance.
  Bottom of First
Ajay Sczepkowski legged out a triple that brought home a pair of runs
Ajay Sczepkowski scored following a passed ball to give GGC a 3-2 lead
 
Bottom of Second
Ajay Sczepkowski hit an RBI double to left field
Joe Quelch connected on a two-run home run that extended the lead to 6-2
 
Bottom of Fifth
Kyle Norton lined a two-run double down the right field line as the Grizzlies scored three runs in the frame
 
Bottom of Sixth
Joe Quelch led off the inning with a home run to left field
 
Bottom of Seventh
Ajay Sczepkowski connected on a solo home run for his 19th round tripper of the season
 

• GGC outhit Crowley's Ridge by a 15-2 margin across seven innings
• Junior Ajay Sczepkowski tied the single-season home run record with his 19th round tripper during Friday's victory
• Junior Jon Ponder extended his hitting streak to 27 games by going 2-for-3 in the contest
• The Grizzlies stole five bases; they lead all NAIA teams in that offensive category

• GGC improves to 34-5 on the season, while Crowley's Ridge stands 13-19 this spring
• The Grizzlies were tied for No. 3 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll
• GGC has won both meetings in the series against the Pioneers
• Georgia Gwinnett College is 6-0 against CAC competition this season

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to continue the Continental Athletic Conference Showdown with a Senior Day game against Voorhees University (South Carolina) on Saturday, April 15, at the Grizzly Baseball Complex, starting at 5 p.m.