The No. 2-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team scored a season-high 25 runs in defeating the University of St. Francis (Illinois) 25-5 in seven innings on Wednesday afternoon at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

Senior Blaze O'Saben tied a single-game school record with five runs scored. He was one of four Grizzlies (17-2) to tally at least three hits in the contest. O'Saben led off the game with his third homer of the season.

GGC plated six runs during the third inning to overcome an early 4-1 deficit. Junior Paul Winland Jr. lined a game-tying two-run up the middle of the infield. Junior Henry Daniels connected on his fourth home run to score two more runs that gave the hosts a 7-4 advantage.

The Grizzlies added five more runs in the fourth inning, six runs during the fifth inning and capped the strong offensive day by bringing home seven runs in the sixth inning.

Daniels went 4-for-5 at the plate, with four RBI and three runs scored. Junior Jackson Cobb, the reigning Continental Athletic Conference Hitter of the Week, tallied three hits, three RBI and scored three runs. Junior Caden Smith went 3-for-4, with four runs scored, for the team.

All nine starters in GGC's lineup produced a hit and 11 different Grizzlies scored a run in the triumph.

Junior left-handed reliever Jeremiah Locklear tossed 1.1 scoreless innings in relief to pick up the victory and improve to 2-1 on the season. He struck out two batters in the outing. The bullpen allowed three runs and struck eight batters across the final six innings of the contest.


  "I'm glad that the guys came out and executed our game plan. We stayed calm and stayed true to what we were trying to do offensively. We're in a constant state of growth offensively. They did exactly 100% of what we asked them to do whether it was some in-game adjustments or taking things from the practice plans onto the field," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  The Grizzlies scored five or more runs in four consecutive innings to score a season-high 25 runs in Wednesday's victory. GGC took the lead, at 7-4, behind a six-run third inning. Junior Paul Winland Jr. lined a two-run single up the middle of the infield to tie the contest. Junior Henry Daniels hit a two-run homer to right field during the productive inning. GGC scored five runs in the fourth inning, six more runs during the fifth inning and pushed across seven runs in the sixth inning.
  Bottom of First
Blaze O'Saben led off the game with a home run to center field
 
Bottom of Third
Paul Winland Jr. tied the game, at 4-4, with a two-run single up the middle
Jackson Cobb followed with an RBI single
Henry Daniels added a two-run home run to right field to give GGC a 7-4 lead
 
Bottom of Fourth
Blaze O'Saben legged out a triple down the right-field line that scored two runs
Braxton Meguiar hit a sacrifice fly to left field
Henry Daniels lined a run-scoring single to right field to cap a five-run frame
 
Bottom of Fifth
Ajay Sczepkowski connected on a two-run home run to left field to give GGC a 15-4 lead
Joe Quelch lined a two-run double as the team plated six runs in the inning
 
Bottom of Sixth
Brody Parkerson hit a two-run single to center field to bring home the 21st run of the contest
Caden Smith added a two-run single
 

• The Grizzlies outhit St. Francis by a 19-10 margin
• Senior Blaze O'Saben tied the single-game school record by scoring five runs
• GGC hit three home runs in the victory
• Four different Grizzlies tallied at least three hits on Wednesday

• GGC improves to 17-2 this spring; St. Francis falls to 2-9 in 2024
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 2 in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 poll
• Georgia Gwinnett College won three of the four games played between the teams this season
• The team scored a season-high 25 runs in Wednesday's victory

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host Fisher College (Massachusetts) in a doubleheader on Friday, March 8, at the Grizzly Baseball Complex, starting at 1 p.m.