The No. 2-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team won its seventh straight contest, capping a four-game weekend sweep of Saint Xavier University (Illinois) with a 12-0 victory Sunday afternoon at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

The Grizzlies (14-1) scored 10 or more runs in a game for the 10th time this spring and eighth time in 11 home games. Meanwhile, the team's pitching staff recorded its third shutout of the season.

GGC used a six-run fifth inning to build a commanding 9-0 advantage in Sunday's series finale. Three runs came in the opening frame behind a pair of two-out RBI singles. Junior Caden Smith lined a run-scoring single to right field before junior Paul Winland Jr. drove home two runs with a single to center field.

The hosts pulled away from the Cougars (4-6) with the productive fifth inning. Two runs touched home following wild pitches. Then, Winland Jr. hit his first homer of the season with a three-run blast just inside the left field foul pole.

"We strung good at-bats together and were able to create some separation in the middle innings," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.

Junior starting pitcher Ben Harris was dominant on the mound, striking out 11 batters and scattering three hits. The right hander improved to 2-0 on the season.

Junior Bryce Lesher paced GGC's 15-hit offensive attack by going 3-for-5 at the plate. Junior Matthew Lee and Winland Jr. also had multiple-hit performances on Sunday.


  "I'm extremely proud with how we came out and attacked today and rode the first inning momentum for the rest of the game. We may have Big Game TC (Tyler Clayton) on the (pitching) staff, but Ben Harris is gaining a reputation as a Big Game pitcher as well. He (Ben) is just electric with how he pounds the strike zone and controls the game with his pitches," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  The Grizzlies broke open Sunday's series finale behind a six-run fifth inning that gave the hosts a 9-0 lead. The first two runs were scored off wild pitches. Junior Paul Winland Jr. connected on a three-run home run just inside the left-field foul pole for the big hit in the frame. Bottom of First
Caden Smith lined a run-scoring single to right field to bring home Braxton Meguiar
Paul Winland Jr. added a two-run single with two outs to give the Grizzlies a 3-0 lead
 
Bottom of Fifth
Paul Winland Jr. connected on a three-run home run as part of a six-run inning
 
Bottom of Sixth
Joe Quelch hit a run-scoring double down the left field line to score the team's 11th run of the contest
 
Bottom of Eighth
Matthew Lee added a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home Joe Quelch
 

• The Grizzlies out hit Saint Xavier by a 15-3 margin in the contest
• Junior pitcher Ben Harris recorded 11 strikeouts to become the third GGC pitcher to have a double-digit strikeout game in the weekend series
• Junior Bryce Lesher tallied three hits, including a double
• Georgia Gwinnett College's pitching staff tossed its third shutout of 2024

• GGC improves to 14-1 this spring; Saint Xavier falls to 4-6 on the season
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 2 in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 poll
• Georgia Gwinnett College has won all seven all-time meetings against the Cougars
• Both teams competed in the 2023 NAIA Opening Round Lawrenceville Bracket

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host University of St. Francis (Illinois) and University of Northwestern Ohio on Saturday, March 2, at the Grizzly Baseball Complex, starting at 2 p.m.