The Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team opened the Continental Athletic Conference Showdown with a record-setting performance Friday night.

The No. 3-ranked Grizzlies scored a school-record 34 runs and pushed across double-digit runs in two innings during a 34-3 triumph against Crowley's Ridge College (Arkansas) – the finale of three games at the Grizzly Baseball Complex featuring four CAC teams.

Junior Braxton Meguiar hit for the cycle as part of a 4-for-5 performance that also featured tying a program mark with eight runs batted in. Meguiar connected on a grand slam to right field as part of a 12-run third inning. It was the second baseman's first homer of the season.

Meguiar opened the scoring with an RBI double down the left field line in the first inning. He then legged out a two-run triple to left-center field during the second inning. Meguiar completed his cycle – the second GGC player to achieve the feat in 2024 and third Grizzly overall – with a run-scoring single in the fourth inning.

Junior Paul Winland Jr. hit a pair of home runs, including a three-run round tripper in the first inning. The third baseman opened the third inning with another homer to increase his season total to nine.

Junior Henry Daniels connected on a towering two-run home run to right field to cap the team's 11-run first inning. The home run, his 11th of the season, tied him for the team lead with senior Ajay Sczepkowski.

GGC (37-6) added four runs in the second inning, five more in the fourth frame before tallying two runs in the sixth inning.

The Grizzlies' record-setting 34 runs came from 18 hits spread across 10 different players. Sczepkowski went 2-for-3 and had three RBI while junior Peyton Peoples scored five times and collected two hits. Juniors Jackson Cobb and Cohen Wilbanks joined Winland Jr. in recording multiple hits in the home victory.

"This is a team that really loves each other, cares for each other and cheers for each other to succeed. That's a really cool team dynamic. We have guys coming off the bench and everyone is pulling for them to have success at the plate and on the field. That says a lot about this group's character," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.

GGC's previous scoring record of 32 runs came against Voorhees University in last year's CAC Showdown in Lawrenceville.

On the mound, senior starting pitcher Gage Williams surpassed the 100-strikeout plateau for the season with a nine-strikeout performance across five innings. The right hander picked up his team-leading ninth victory of the season. Sophomore Ethan Anderson tossed two scoreless innings in relief.


  "Our players continue to take elements of our training and continuous work on the game's fundamentals from the practice field to the game-day environment. We're a mature team," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  The Grizzlies set a school record for runs scored in a game for the second consecutive season at the CAC Showdown. Last year it was 32 runs against Voorhees University (South Carolina). On Friday, GGC surpassed that total by two runs. The team opened the contest with 11 runs before adding 12 runs during the third inning.
  Bottom of First
Braxton Meguiar lined a double down the left field line that brought home Blaze O'Saben
Paul Winland Jr. connected on a three-run home run to extend the lead to 5-0
Ajay Sczepkowski added a two-run single
Henry Daniels hit a towering two-run homer to right field that gave the Grizzlies an 11-0 lead
 
Bottom of Second
Braxton Meguiar collected a triple to score a pair of runs
Ajay Sczepkowski hit an RBI single to cap a four-run frame
 
Bottom of Third
Paul Winland Jr. led off the inning with his second homer of the contest
Braxton Meguiar connected on a grand slam home run that extended the lead to 21-3
Jackson Cobb legged out a triple to score a pair of runs as part of a 12-run inning
 
Bottom of Fourth
Cohen Wilbanks cleared the bases with a double
 
Bottom of Sixth
Peyton Peoples lined a run-scoring double to plate the record-setting 33rd run
Brett Dingess followed with an RBI single to left-center field
 

• The Grizzlies outhit Crowley's Ridge by an 18-5 margin
• GGC successfully stole 10 bases on Friday
• Senior pitcher Gage Williams struck out nine batters to go over the 100-strikeout plateau for the season
• Ten different players registered a hit in the contest

• GGC improves to 37-6 on the season; Crowley's Ridge drops to 9-22 this spring
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 3 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll
• The team scored a program record for the second consecutive season at the CAC Showdown
• Junior Braxton Meguiar hit for the cycle and tied the school record with eight RBI

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host Florida National University, at 2 p.m., and Voorhees University (South Carolina), at 5 p.m., to conclude the Continental Athletic Conference Showdown on Saturday, April 20, at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.