Junior pitcher Ben Harris scattered five hits and allowed one unearned run across eight innings as the No. 2-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team picked up an impressive 7-1 home victory against No. 22 Tennessee Wesleyan University on Monday afternoon at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

The Grizzlies (27-5) have a 22-3 home record this spring, including a 6-1 mark in games against teams featured in the NAIA Top 25 poll.

Harris successfully pitched out of a couple of jams throughout the outing. First, the right hander got Marco Martinez to ground out to shortstop to strand two runners in the third inning. He then saved his best performance for his last inning on the mound.

With GGC leading 4-1 in the top of the eighth inning, the Bulldogs (20-11) loaded the bases with two outs after an infield single by Evan Magill. Harris got Kruise Newman to fly out to center field to end the threat.

"Ben didn't have his best stuff, so he had to go to a different place. It brought out one of his best pitching performances while here," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger. "He did a good job of mixing his pitches and being confident. We felt like he had earned the opportunity to still have the ball in his hand even in a bases-loaded situation in the eighth inning."

Harris allowed an unearned run in the fourth inning to improve his record to 6-0 for the season.

The Grizzlies broke an early scoreless duel by scoring three runs, all with two outs, in the bottom of the third inning. Senior Blaze O'Saben legged out a triple to center field that brought home junior pinch runner Peyton Peoples. Junior Braxton Meguiar followed with a two-run home run just inside the left field foul pole to increase the hosts' lead to 3-0. Meguiar's round tripper marked his first of the season and extended GGC's consecutive streak to 25 games with a home run.

Back-to-back run-scoring base hits helped produce another three-run frame during the bottom half of the eighth inning. A fielding error on a line drive base hit by senior Ajay Sczepkowski allowed Meguiar to score all the way from first base. Junior Jackson Cobb followed with an infield RBI single before scoring on a double to right field by junior Caden Smith. That late offensive output extended GGC's lead to 7-1.

Junior reliever Tommy Ross retired all three batters he faced in a scoreless ninth inning to secure the triumph.

Meguiar paced the Grizzlies' eight-hit offensive attack by going 2-for-3, with a pair of runs scored. O'Saben extended his hitting streak to 16 games. Seven different GGC players tallied a hit in the contest.


  "We were definitely prepared for today's game. It is a good test against a well-coached team and a squad that we respect. I was really impressed with how we came out. Ben Harris did an outstanding job of pitching out of some jams and gave us a chance to win. The offense found a way and we really turned some key moments into big innings," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  Junior starting pitcher Ben Harris got out of a jam in the third inning but saved his best work for his last inning in the contest. The right hander got Kruise Newman to fly out to center field to end a bases-loaded situation to preserve a 4-1 lead in the top of the eighth inning.
  Bottom of Third
Blaze O'Saben legged out an RBI triple to center field
Braxton Meguiar connected on a two-run home run just inside the left field foul pole with two outs
 
Bottom of Eighth
Ajay Sczepkowski lined a single to left field and Braxton Meguiar came around to score following a fielding error on the base hit
Jackson Cobb hit an infield RBI single that gave the Grizzlies a 6-1 lead
Caden Smith followed with a run-scoring double to right field to cap a three-run inning
 

• The Grizzlies outhit Tennessee Wesleyan by an 8-5 margin
• Junior Braxton Meguiar hit his first home run of the season as part of a 2-for-3 plate performance for the day
• Junior starting pitcher Ben Harris picked up his sixth win of the season
• Senior Ajay Sczepkowski recorded five putouts and one assist from center field

• GGC improves to 27-5 on the season; Tennessee Wesleyan is now 20-11 this spring
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 2 in the first NAIA Top 25 poll of the regular season; Tennessee Wesleyan stood No. 22 in the same poll
• The team is 6-5 against the Bulldogs at the Grizzly Baseball Complex all-time
• GGC has hit a home run in 25 consecutive games

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host Cumberland University (Tennessee) on Friday, March 29, at the Grizzly Baseball Complex, starting at 5 p.m.