Productive offensive performances accounted for big innings that paved the way for the No. 2-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team to sweep a Sunday doubleheader against Indiana Tech by 10-run margins, 16-6 and 10-0, at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

Along the way the Grizzlies (21-2) matched their season-high winning streak of seven games.

GGC trailed the first game of the day 5-1 after Indiana Tech plated three runs in the top of the fifth inning. Senior Ajay Sczepkowski then hit a two-run single in the bottom half of the inning to cut the deficit to 5-3.

The Warriors (2-10) built a 6-3 advantage after an RBI single from Parker Bates in the top of the sixth inning.

However, the hosts pounced on Indiana Tech relief pitching after starter Grant Besser was removed after six strong innings. Adam Besser hit the first two batters he faced with the bases loaded to bring the Grizzlies within a run, at 6-5. Senior Blaze O'Saben drew a bases-loaded walk to plate the tying run, at 6-6, before junior Braxton Meguiar followed with another walk with the bases loaded.

Sczepkowski provided the big hit in an eight-run seventh inning with a double down the right field line that cleared a bases-loaded situation. He went 4-for-6 and brought home six of the team's 16 runs in the contest.

GGC used the productive offensive frame to take an 11-6 lead.

"We worked the starter (Grant Besser) hard because we knew if we could get to the (Indiana Tech) bullpen, we could gain a whole new level of confidence. The key in both games was we continued to play Grizzly baseball, no matter the score of the game. The minute the door opened (momentum), this group was prepared to burst through and take control," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.

Junior Henry Daniels connected on a grand slam home run one inning later to seal the opening-game victory.

In the nightcap, GGC scored nine runs over the final three innings to win another game by the 10-run advantage rule. Junior Caden Smith hit a run-scoring single through the right side of the infield in the fifth inning. Sczepkowski then drove home a pair of runs with a single up the middle as the team took a 6-0 lead.

Daniels once again ended the game with a drive over the fence, this time it was a three-run homer that was part of a four-run seventh inning that pushed the 10-run victory margin.

Juniors Jackson Cobb and Joe Quelch joined O'Saben in recording multiple-hit efforts during the nightcap. The trio each scored two runs in GGC's 11-hit offensive attack.

Junior starting pitcher Ben Harris matched his career high with 11 strikeouts in tossing a three-hit shutout in the second game. The right hander improved to 4-0 on the season and lowered his earned run average to a dazzling 1.52 mark.

Junior reliever Jeremiah Locklear picked up his third win of the season with 2.2 scoreless innings in relief during the opener.


  "The game has a way of coming back to you. Henry didn't have great at-bats early in the first game, but things came back around for him – and he produced. Same thing happened in the second game and he once again showed up big," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  The Grizzlies scored the first four runs of the eight-run seventh inning during the opener without putting a ball in play. Consecutive hit by pitches in bases-loaded situations were followed by bases-loaded walks to senior Blaze O'Saben and junior Braxton Meguiar. That gave the hosts a 7-6 lead. Senior Ajay Sczepkowski hit a bases-clearing double down the right field line to put the contest out of reach.
  First Game
Bottom of Fifth
Ajay Sczepkowski hit a two-run center field that cut an early deficit to 5-3
 
Bottom of Seventh
Blaze O'Saben drew a bases-loaded walk that tied the contest at 6-6
Braxton Meguiar followed by drawing a bases-loaded walk
Ajay Sczepkowski cleared the bases with a double down the right field line
 
Bottom of Eighth
Henry Daniels connected on a grand slam home run that provided the 10-run margin to end the game
 
Second Game
Bottom of Third
Cohen Wilbanks hit an RBI ground out to shortstop to open the scoring
 
Bottom of Fifth
Jackson Cobb successfully stole home on the backend of a double steal attempt
Caden Smith hit a run-scoring single through the right side of the infield
Ajay Sczepkowski hit a two-run single up the middle that gave GGC a 6-0 lead
 
Bottom of Seventh
Jackson Cobb hit an infield RBI single
Henry Daniels added a three-run home run to right-center field that plated the team's 10th run of the contest
 

• The Grizzlies tallied 23 hits in Sunday's doubleheader sweep, led by 12 hits in the first contest
• Senior Ajay Sczepkowski went 4-for-6, with six RBI, in the opener
• Junior starting pitcher Ben Harris matched his career high with 11 strikeouts in the complete-game performance during the nightcap
• Junior third baseman Paul Winland Jr. registered four assists in the second game

• GGC improves to 21-2 in 2024; Indiana Tech is 2-9 on the season
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 2 in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 poll
• Georgia Gwinnett College has won eight of the nine meetings between the two programs
• The team has registered its third seven-game winning streak of the 2024 season

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to travel to Middle Georgia State University on Tuesday, March 12, at Cochran, Georgia, starting at 3 p.m.