The No. 4-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team relied on strong pitching and timely offense to sweep a doubleheader against Brewton-Parker College (Georgia) by 8-2 and 4-0 scores on Saturday afternoon on Cody Butler Day at the Grizzly Baseball Complex. The victories also swept a three-game weekend series over the Barons and gave the Grizzlies their 40th win of the season.

During the day, GGC's Office of Athletics and baseball program recognized its biggest fan, the late Cody Butler, and dedicated a customized chairback seat at the stadium in his memory. The former Georgia Gwinnett College student created the NAIABall social media brand in 2017 and expanded coverage of NAIA baseball coast to coast with a weekly podcast. Regrettably, Butler passed away in December 2022.

CODY BUTLER LEGACY PAGE

In the games, the Grizzlies (40-5) tallied 21 hits to score 12 runs across the doubleheader sweep. However, the team's pitching staff also shined by allowing a combined four hits and two runs during 16 innings of action.
GGC scored in five of its six offensive innings and connected on a pair of home runs to capture the opening game of the day.

Sophomore Joe Quelch hit a two-run double in the bottom of the first inning. A few batters later, junior Devin Warner lined a run-scoring single to give the hosts a quick 3-0 advantage.

Then, GGC flexed its muscles to add runs on the scoreboard. Junior Ajay Sczepkowski connected on a solo home run in the third inning. It was his sixth homer of the week and school-record 25th of the season.

Warner then hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning as GGC's lead grew to 7-1.

Sophomore starting pitcher Ben Harris improved to 6-1 on the season by striking out five batters across three innings. Sophomore Ben Weber allowed just one hit and recorded three strikeouts in four strong innings out the bullpen to collect his first save of the season.

In the second game, junior starting pitcher Gage Williams carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning. The right hander settled for a two-hit shutout, with five strikeouts, as he picked up his seventh win of the season.

The Grizzlies' offense took a 3-0 lead through the first three innings. Warner hit a run-scoring single through the middle to bring home Quelch in the second inning.

One inning later, sophomore Kyle Norton brought home another run with a single through the right side of the infield. He would later score on an RBI double to left field from Sczepkowski, who paced the team's 11-hit offensive attack by going 3-for-4 in the second game. Sophomore Cohen Wilbanks and Norton had two-hit performances.

Warner drove in three runs and was 2-for-4 in the first game. Junior Jon Ponder and Norton each collected two hits as the top two hitters in the batting lineup.


  "It was an emotional day. I was really pleased with how we played in Cody's memory. His family got to watch two Grizzly wins. That meant just as much to us as anything. Cody meant so much to GGC and NAIA baseball. We honored him and his family by playing two strong games," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  After scoring 116 runs across the last six games leading into Saturday, GGC's pitching staff showcased its talent by allowing a combined four hits and two runs during 16 innings of action. Junior Gage Williams took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of the second game. The right hander finished with a two-hit shutout. Sophomore Ben Harris struck out five batters across three innings while starting the opener. He then gave the ball to classmate Ben Weber, who allowed just one hit over four strong innings in relief.
  First Game
Bottom of First
Joe Quelch opened the scoring with a two-run double to right-center field
Devin Warner lined an RBI single that gave GGC a 3-0 lead
 
Bottom of Third
Ajay Sczepkowski connected on a solo home run to center field
 
Bottom of Fifth
Devin Warner hit a two-run homer to right field that extended the lead to 7-1
 
Bottom of Sixth
Kyle Norton hit a run-scoring single through the right side of the infield
 
Second Game
Bottom of Second
Devin Warner lined an RBI single that brought home Joe Quelch
 
Bottom of Third
Kyle Norton hit an RBI single that gave GGC a 2-0 advantage
Ajay Sczepkowski followed with a run-scoring double
 
Bottom of Eighth
Ajay Sczepkowski scored following a balk
 

• GGC tallied 21 hits across the doubleheader sweep, highlighted by 11 hits in the second game
• Junior Devin Warner went 2-for-3 with three RBI and hit his 12th home run of the season in Saturday's opener
• The Grizzlies stole 11 bases to surpass 200 steals for the season
• Junior Gage Williams carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning of the second contest

• GGC improves to 40-5 on the season, while Brewton-Parker falls to 16-30 this spring
• The Grizzlies were No. 4 in the final regular-season NAIA Top 25 poll
• Georgia Gwinnett College's Office of Athletics honored its biggest baseball fan and NAIA baseball innovator, Cody Butler, with a custom chairback at the Grizzly Baseball Complex, where the former GGC student used to sit and fell in love with the Grizzlies and NAIA baseball
• The team has won all eight games in the all-time series with Brewton-Parker

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to play Fisher College (Massachusetts) in a doubleheader at Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina, on Friday, April 28, starting at 2 p.m.