The No. 2-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team completed its season-opening four-game weekend by collecting two more victories Saturday, defeating Midway University (Kentucky) 5-3 before scoring a 22-1 triumph against Rust College (Mississippi) at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

The Grizzlies pushed across 53 runs in the first four games of the season.

GGC (4-0) used a five-run second inning to jump ahead of Midway (2-2) in the day's first game. Junior Jackson Cobb lined an RBI double to right-center field to begin the productive frame. A double to left field by junior Caden Smith plated another run and classmate Cohen Wilbanks added a clutch two-run single to right field that gave the hosts a 4-0 lead.

Midway threatened in the top of the third inning by scoring three runs, with two being unearned after two infield throwing errors. The second mistake allowed those two runs to bring the Eagles within 5-3.

Junior right hander Ben Weber came out of the bullpen in the fourth inning and tossed three perfect innings. The Omaha, Nebraska, native struck out six of the nine batters he faced in the dominant pitching performance.

"In that spot we needed Ben to hold the lead. He hung zeros on the scoreboard and completely shut down their (Midway) momentum. Ben is such an important puzzle piece to our pitching staff and its success this season," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.

Junior Tommy Ross retired Midway in order during the top of the seventh to pick up his first save of the 2024 campaign.

In the nightcap, the Grizzlies scored in all six of their offensive innings against Rust. The hosts led 8-0 after two frames before doubling up the score with eight more runs in the bottom of the third inning. Senior Ajay Sczepkowski drove in junior Braxton Meguiar in the third inning for the team's 10th run of the contest.

Later, junior Bryce Lesher legged out two RBI doubles among three hits in the game. His first double down the right field line scored classmate Joe Quelch in the second inning before Cobb and junior Matthew Lee hit run-scoring doubles during the eight-run third inning.

The Grizzlies registered six doubles in the victory against Rust.

Junior starting pitcher Ben Harris recorded 10 strikeouts and scattered one hit across four scoreless innings to pick up the win in his season debut. Seven different pitchers appeared in the nightcap for the Grizzlies.

Lesher paced GGC's 10-hit offensive attack by going 3-for-6 with three RBI and a pair of runs scored. Sczepkowski drove in four runs and scored three times. Meguiar added four runs scored and drew four walks from the top of the batting lineup.


  "Our preseason training prepared us for so many different situations that we faced during this opening weekend. I'm happy with how well we met those challenges. We have confidence and have the correct mindset," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  The Grizzlies' bullpen combination of juniors Ben Weber and Tommy Ross combined to retire all 12 batters they faced in the 5-3 win against Midway in Saturday's opening game. Weber tossed a scoreless fourth, fifth and sixth innings before turning things over to Ross to secure the victory.
  Midway Game
Bottom of Second
Caden Smith hit an RBI double to left field
Jackson Cobb lined a run-scoring double to right-center field
Cohen Wilbanks capped the five-run frame with a two-run single
 
Rust Game
Bottom of First
Paul Winland Jr. drove in a pair of runs with single to right field as part of a five-run frame
 
Bottom of Second
Bryce Lesher lined an RBI double to score Joe Quelch
 
Bottom of Third
Ajay Sczepkowski hit a run-scoring single to plate the second of eight runs in the inning
Bryce Lesher added a double to score Ajay Sczepkowski
Jackson Cobb collected a two-run double
 
Bottom of Fifth
Ajay Sczepkowski hit a two-run double to left field
 

• The Grizzlies tallied 17 hits across Saturday's two games
• Senior Ajay Sczepkowski went 2-for-3 with four RBI and three runs scored against Rust
• GGC legged out eight doubles on the day, led by junior Bryce Lesher with two doubles
• Junior right hander Ben Harris struck out 10 batters in four scoreless innings against Rust

• GGC is 4-0 this spring; Midway is 2-2 on the season; Rust is 0-4 in 2024
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 2 in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 poll; Midway received votes in the same poll; both teams played in last year's NAIA Opening Round Lawrenceville Bracket
• GGC has won 42 of its last 47 games played at the Grizzly Baseball Complex
• The team outscored the opposition 53-5 across the four games this weekend

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to play No. 25 Freed-Hardeman University (Tennessee) and No. 22 Central Methodist University (Missouri) at the Cajun Collision on Friday, February 9, at Sterlington, Louisiana.