The No. 3-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team's offense continues to heat up, hitting five home runs, including three during a 10-run first inning, in a 24-2 victory over Talladega College (Alabama) on Tuesday afternoon.

GGC (37-5) has scored 96 runs across its last five games, starting with a 10-0 victory against Talladega last Tuesday. The team has won eight straight games.

Junior Ajay Sczepkowski once again provided the power surge in the lineup, smashing three home runs – and two in one inning. His 22 home runs have set a new program single-season school record, surpassing the 19 homers set by Livingston Morris last season.

Sczepkowski's first home run on Tuesday came on a three-run round tripper on a 2-0 count after back-to-back walks to open a productive first inning, when the Grizzlies placed 10 runs on the scoreboard. He later hit a two-run homer in that first inning before connecting on an additional two-run home run in the fourth inning.

"It's definitely fun to go out and play baseball right now with this team. I just show up every day to help the team the best way possible," the outfielder said. "I'm not going up to the plate expecting to hit home runs, it's just happening. We had so much energy in that first inning. There's a lot of passion out on the field with us right now."

Junior Jon Ponder legged out a two-run triple in the second inning as GGC built a 13-0 advantage. The center fielder tallied three hits, scored three runs and drove in six runs on Tuesday. He connected on a grand slam in the first inning for his 13th home run of the season.

Senior Blaze O'Saben connected on a two-run home run to start a nine-run fourth inning. The right fielder went 3-for-5 with five RBI in the victory.

"I've been letting the game happen instead trying to force things and it has resulted in a good stretch of games and at-bats. There were multiple players up and down our lineup who had two or more hits. Once again, it was a total team effort," said O'Saben on his recent strong play.

GGC's three starting outfielders went 9-15 at the plate for the day, with 17 runs batted in, five home runs, and eight runs scored.

Sophomore Braxton Meguiar also registered three hits and scored three times as the visitors tallied 19 hits in the contest. Junior Jesus Pacheco went 2-for-2, with three runs scored, and sophomore Kyle Norton also scored three times to round out the balanced offensive attack.

Junior starting pitcher Tyler Clayton improved to 6-1 by registering seven strikeouts and scattering four hits across four innings. He defeated Talladega for the second straight start. Five GGC pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts in the game.
  "The strength is in this group. They fight for each other. It isn't about any one particular player, they're all working to push us to new heights. There's a special feeling inside our dugout right now. Ajay is as consistent of a competitor that we've ever had," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  A 10-run first inning, propelled by three home runs, took most of the suspense out of Georgia Gwinnett College's eighth-straight victory. Junior Ajay Sczepkowski connected on a pair of those homers, with his first long ball breaking Livingston Morris' single-season school record (19 homers). Sczepkowski added a third home run in the fourth inning. Junior Jon Ponder hit a grand slam during the team's big opening inning.
  Top of First
Ajay Sczepkowski hit a three-run home run to break the program's single-season school record
Blaze O'Saben was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded
Jon Ponder connected on a grand slam for his 13th round tripper of the season
Ajay Sczepkowski hit a two-run homer to cap the team's 10-run inning
 
Top of Second
Cohen Wilbanks hit a sacrifice fly that brought home Braxton Meguiar
Jon Ponder legged out a triple that scored a pair of runs
 
Top of Fourth
Blaze O'Saben hit a two-run home run that gave the Grizzlies a 15-2 advantage
Kyle Norton added an RBI double
Ajay Sczepkowski hit his third home run of the game – and 22nd for the season – to plate two runs
Cohen Wilbanks brought home two runs with a single to right-center field
Blaze O'Saben hit a two-run double to left field that capped a nine-run frame
 
Top of Seventh
Brody Parkerson hit a run-scoring single to left field
 

• The Grizzlies outhit Talladega by a 19-5 margin
• GGC connected on five home runs in the contest, increasing the season total to 66 round trippers
• Senior Blaze O'Saben was one of three GGC players to drive in at least five runs in the victory
• Five GGC pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts on Tuesday

• GGC improves to 37-5 this spring, while Talladega drops to 22-15-1 in 2023
• The Grizzlies were tied for No. 3 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll
• Junior Ajay Sczepkowksi set the single-season program record with 22 home runs
• The team went 8-0 in midweek games during the regular season

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to travel to Brewton-Parker College (Georgia) on Friday, April 21, in Mount Vernon, Georgia, starting at 4 p.m.