The No. 4-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team scored in six of its seven offensive innings to defeat Brewton-Parker College 20-6 to begin a three-game weekend series between the two programs Friday afternoon in Mount Vernon, Georgia.

The Grizzlies (38-5) and Brewton-Parker will play a doubleheader in Lawrenceville on Saturday, April 22, from the Grizzly Baseball Complex, starting at 1 p.m. It will be Cody Butler Day as the GGC Office of Athletics and baseball program dedicate a custom chairback at the home ballpark in memory of a devoted Georgia Gwinnett College baseball fan and NAIA baseball innovator.

GGC's 20-hit offensive attack on Friday had all nine starting players registering a hit, including seven with multiple-hit performances. The team broke open the contest behind a six-run fourth inning. Later, the visitors plated seven runs in the seventh inning.

The Grizzlies have scored 116 runs in their last six games and put 20 or more runs on the scoreboard in three of the last four games.

Junior Jon Ponder led off the productive fourth inning with his 14th homer of the season. The round tripper extended his school-record hitting streak to 30 consecutive games. The center fielder drew two walks, scored three runs and went 2-for-4 at the plate for the day.

Later in the fourth frame, junior Jesus Pacheco hit a two-run double while senior Blaze O'Saben added a run-scoring single to give the visitors a commanding 11-1 advantage.

Junior Ajay Sczepkowski opened the fifth inning with a home run to left-center field. The left fielder then connected on a three-run homer in the seventh inning to give him 24 home runs for the season, which is a school record. Sczepkowski finished the game by going 3-for-6 with four runs batted in and three runs scored.

Pacheco began the last-inning surge with a run-scoring single. Junior Cohen Wilbanks hit an RBI double before O'Saben followed with a single that brought home the team's 17th run of the contest.

Sophomore Braxton Meguiar went 3-for-3 while O'Saben tallied three hits and drove in three runs. Pacheco had two hits and three RBI and sophomore Kyle Norton contributed two hits and two runs in the road victory.

Sophomore starting pitcher Cameron Repetti had eight strikeouts and scattered six hits across six innings to pick up the victory. The right hander now stands 9-0 on the season.
 
Coach's Corner
"I continue to be impressed with how we have attacked road games (with an 8-1 record) and continue playing our brand of baseball. We have built consistency across the board, whether we're playing at home or away. We carried the momentum of our past games into today. That's good to see," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
 
Turning Point
After jumping out to a 5-1 lead through the first three innings, the Grizzlies put the game out of reach by adding six more runs in the top of the fourth inning. Junior Jon Ponder started the productive frame with a home run. Junior Jesus Pacheco added a two-run double before senior Blaze O'Saben had a run-scoring single through the left side of the infield.
 
Key Plays
Top of First
Joe Quelch hit a two-run double to open the scoring
Braxton Meguiar added a run-scoring single up the middle that gave the Grizzlies a 3-0 advantage
 
Top of Third
Cohen Wilbanks was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded
Blaze O'Saben followed with an RBI single to extend the lead to four runs, 5-1
 
Top of Fourth
Jon Ponder led off the inning with a home run for his 14th homer of the season
Jesus Pacheco hit a two-run double as the team scored six runs in the inning
Blaze O'Saben added a run-scoring single that gave GGC an 11-1 lead
 
Top of Fifth
Ajay Sczepkowski connected on his 23rd home run of the season to open the frame
 
Top of Sixth
Kyle Norton lined an RBI single that brought home Ryan Hunt
 
Top of Seventh
Jesus Pacheco opened a seven-run frame with an RBI single
Cohen Wilbanks added a run-scoring double
Blaze O'Saben followed with an RBI single through the left side of the infield that scored the team's 17th run of the game
Ajay Sczepkowski hit a three-home run for second straight game with multiple home runs
 
Inside The Numbers

• GGC outhit Brewton-Parker by a 20-8 margin
• The Grizzlies drew seven walks
• All nine starting players registered a hit, including seven players tallying at least two hits in the road win
• The Grizzlies were a perfect 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts on Friday

News & Notes

• GGC improves to 38-5 in 2023, while Brewton-Parker drops to 16-28 on the season
• The Grizzlies were No. 4 in the final regular-season NAIA Top 25 poll
• Georgia Gwinnett College has scored 116 runs across its last six games
• The team is 8-1 on the road this spring

Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host Brewton-Parker College (Georgia) in a doubleheader during Cody Butler Day on Saturday, April 22, at the Grizzly Baseball Complex, starting at 1 p.m.