Junior Henry Daniels hit a three-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap a thrilling doubleheader sweep Saturday for the No. 3-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team against Cumberland University (Tennessee) on Senior Day at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

The Grizzlies (30-5) won the nightcap 11-8 after starting the day with a 15-5 victory – another weekend sweep that's extended the team's winning streak to a season-high nine games.

Daniels' heroics brought an end to a back-and-forth game that saw two lead changes and the Phoenix plating a tying run in the top of the ninth inning.

Cumberland (17-16) used a five-run sixth inning to take a 6-5 lead, with Tim Holyk providing a go-ahead two-run single. The visitors added another run on a safety squeeze bunt to take a 7-5 lead into the top of the seventh inning.

GGC quickly responded with junior Paul Winland Jr. evening the score at 7-7 with a triple through the right side of the infield. That extra-base hit scored seniors Blaze O'Saben and Ajay Sczepkowski. A balk during junior Jackson Cobb's at-bat allowed Winland Jr. to score as the hosts regained the lead at 8-7.

The Phoenix rallied again in the top of the ninth inning as Alonzo Zuniga lined an RBI single to left field to tie the contest at 8-8.

That set up the dramatic bottom half of the ninth inning. Senior Caden Smith started the rally with a one-out single to center field. Junior pinch runner Brett Dingess advanced to second base after junior pitch hitter Bryce Lesher drew a walk. Cumberland changed pitchers, bringing in Thomas Wilhite with two runners on base and one out.

Daniels wasted no time in crushing a three-run home run deep into the Lawrenceville night sky for the 11-8 triumph.

"I was looking for something that started above the belt and out over the plate. In that moment the pressure is all on the pitcher, so I had a game plan walking up to the plate. I saw the pitch where I wanted it and I put a good swing on it," said Daniels on his walk-off home run.

Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger remarked, "Caden's at-bat was huge to start the rally for us. Bryce got a big-time walk to get the pressure going by having the game-winning run in scoring position with one out. It just set up Henry and we had all of the confidence in the world he was going to hit a ball hard. It just so happened that it cleared the fence."

The Grizzlies held a 5-1 lead through five innings of the nightcap after Winland Jr. hit a solo home run. The hosts plated two runs in third inning and scored in four of the first five innings.

"Going back-and-forth against a quality opponent is always exciting. Drawing the leadoff walk got the reliever to slow down a little bit. It was an eight pitch at-bat where I got to see pitches that were more to my liking. I did everything I could to start a rally there," said O'Saben.

"We have a ton of respect for Cumberland. They're a well-coached team and we knew that the first two games (16-4 and 15-5 wins) were no indication of who they are and knew that they were going to battle back in the third game. I was happy with how we responded to the pressure they put on us," said Sheetinger, who picked up his 200th victory at GGC with Saturday's doubleheader sweep.

Earlier in the day, the Grizzlies accounted for 15 hits to score 15 runs across each offensive inning. Sczepkowski started the game with a triple and later added a home run, his 10th of the season, and a single. His round tripper was part of a two-run third inning that answered a four-run frame for the Phoenix.

Winland Jr. went 3-for-5 and had two runs scored and two RBI. The third baseman also almost accomplished a cycle during the nightcap. Junior Joe Quelch and Cobb each tallied two hits in the opener.
Junior reliever Tyler Martin struck out seven batters across 2.2 strong innings to pick up his first win of the season.

Prior to the contest the baseball program honored 11 members of a senior class that has helped lead GGC capture a NAIA national championship (2021) and three conference titles.

Sheetinger stated, "It is a special group. One of those guys (Tyler Clayton) was with me in my first year. I'm excited that we got the opportunity to honor them today. The players are the reason for our success. Those seniors have seen a lot of wins on this field."

O'Saben added, "Senior Day hits you right in the heart. Maturing and growing with these guys for the last three years has been a special part of your life," said O'Saben of the Senior Day emotions.


  "We learned a lot about the game and this team in the way they battled back in the nightcap. You don't always get the game that you want, but the game that you need. I'm happy with how our guys came through," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  Junior Henry Daniels can now say he has hit a walk-off home run as a member of the Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team. The left-handed hitting slugger smashed home runs to end both games of a doubleheader sweep against Indiana Tech on March 10. However, those were 10-run-rule-deciding victories. This time Daniels blasted a three-run home run deep into the Lawrenceville night to cap a back-and-forth 11-8 nightcap victory to complete the series sweep.
  First Game
Bottom of First
Ajay Sczepkowski legged out a two-run triple to open the scoring
 
Top of Third
Riley Light connected on a three-run home run to left field that gave the Phoenix a 4-3 lead
 
Bottom of Third
Ajay Sczepkowski led off the frame with his 10th home run of the season to tie the game at 4-4
Joe Quelch added a go-ahead RBI double to left field
 
Bottom of Fourth
Ajay Sczepkowski hit a run-scoring single to center field that brought home Blaze O'Saben from second base
Bryce Lesher lined a single to center field to cap a four-run frame
 
Bottom of Fifth
Jackson Cobb lined an RBI single to center field that extended the lead to 10-4
 
Second Game
Bottom of Second
Jackson Cobb hit an RBI ground out to first base that scored Paul Winland Jr.
 
Bottom of Third
Henry Daniels scored following a wild pitch
Jackson Cobb drew a bases-loaded walk that extended the lead to 3-0
 
Bottom of Fifth
Paul Winland Jr. connected on a solo home run to right field that gave the Grizzlies a 5-1 lead
 
Top of Sixth
Tim Holyk gave the Phoenix the lead, at 6-5, with a two-run single up the middle
 
Bottom of Seventh
Paul Winland Jr. tied the game, at 7-7, with a triple through the right side of the infield that brought home two runs
A balk allowed Paul Winland Jr. to score the go-ahead run from third base
 
Top of Ninth
Alonzo Zuniga hit a single to left field to plate the tying run at 8-8
 
Bottom of Ninth
Henry Daniels hit a walk-off three-run homer to center field that capped a wild finish to the nightcap
 

• The Grizzlies recorded 24 hits across Saturday's two games
• GGC has won a season best nine straight games
• Junior reliever Tyler Martin struck out seven batters in 2.2 innings out of the bullpen to pick up his first win of the season in the opener
• Senior Ajay Sczepkowski was a double shy of hitting for the cycle in the first game; junior Paul Winland Jr. was a single shy of hitting for the cycle during the nightcap

• GGC improves to 30-5 this spring; Cumberland falls to 17-16 in 2024
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 3 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll
• The team has won 30 games in 11 of the 12 seasons in program history; GGC stood 23-2 when the remainder of the 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
• GGC Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger recorded his 200th victory at the helm of the Grizzlies with Saturday's doubleheader sweep

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host Clark Atlanta University on Wednesday, April 3, at the Grizzly Baseball Complex, starting at 6 p.m.