The top-seeded Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team showcased tremendous resolve in winning a pair of lopsided elimination-round games Wednesday in the NAIA Opening Round Lawrenceville Bracket at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

The Grizzlies (50-7; ranked No. 2 nationally) opened the day by using an eight-run sixth inning to pick up a 20-1 triumph against No. 5 seed Louisiana Christian University. Then, the tournament hosts scored seven times in the opening frame to lead wire-to-wire in a 16-3 triumph against No. 2 seed Faulkner University (Alabama).

GGC and Faulkner will play once again on Thursday, May 16, at 11 a.m., with the winner advancing to the Avista NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho.

The Grizzlies connected on five home runs against LCU, with juniors Paul Winland Jr. and Caden Smith each twice clearing the outfield fences. The team has recorded 96 home runs, breaking the program's single-season record.

Even though the offense scored 36 runs on 38 hits for the day, the team's pitching was equally as impressive, with a pair of complete-game pitching performances coming from senior left handers. Tyler Clayton struck out 10 batters in the day's opener, while Kaleb Hill scattered seven hits in tossing his fourth complete game of the season.

Smith hit the first of his two home runs as part of the productive sixth inning against LCU. Winland Jr. added a two-run home run later in the frame to give GGC a commanding 16-1 lead. Winland Jr. had a two-run homer one inning earlier.

Smith added a solo homer in the eighth inning against the Wildcats (34-21).

Later in the day, a two-run double to left-center field from Smith gave GGC a quick 5-0 advantage against Faulkner (37-16). Junior Matthew Lee followed with an RBI double to score Smith. Senior Blaze O'Saben continued the early offensive onslaught with a run-scoring single.

The Grizzlies put the game away with a six-run fifth inning giving the team a 14-2 lead.

Daniels provided a key two-run single before an RBI single from Winland Jr. extended the margin to 10 runs, at 12-2.

The top four hitters in GGC's lineup combined to go 10-for-21 and scored eight runs of the team's 16 runs against the Eagles.
  "Today was an absolute test for us and our guys answered the bell. Tough teams win at this time of the year and we're a tough team. The confidence that we found in the first game carried over against Faulkner. We're in this position (playing for the Opening Round championship) because of the great job that Tyler Clayton and Kaleb Hill did for us on the mound. We can talk about offensive production, but we're not still playing without two of the biggest quality starts of our season. They put the team on their back and allowed us to go into Thursday's (championship) game with a fresh bullpen," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  On a day filled with 36 runs and 38 hits, it was pitching performances by left handers Tyler Clayton and Kaleb Hill that extended GGC's season into Thursday's championship-round final game. Both seniors went the distance, with Clayton having 10 strikeouts against Louisiana Christian in the first game before Hill scattered seven hits in the nightcap victory against Faulkner.
  Louisiana Christian Game
Top of First
Jackson Cobb legged out a two-run triple to open the scoring
Paul Winland Jr. hit an RBI double that gave the Grizzlies a quick 3-0 lead
 
Top of Fourth
Jackson Cobb led off the frame with a home run
 
Top of Fifth
Paul Winland Jr. connected on a two-run home run
 
Top of Sixth
Caden Smith hit a solo home run to center field as the lead grew to 10-1
Ajay Sczepkowski cleared the bases with a double
Paul Winland Jr. hit his second homer of the contest that scored two more runs
 
Top of Eighth
Caden Smith added his second round tripper of the game
 
Faulkner Game
Bottom of First
Caden Smith hit a two-run double to left-center field that gave GGC a 5-0 lead
Matthew Lee followed with an RBI double
Blaze O'Saben added a run-scoring single that capped the team's seven-run inning
 
Bottom of Fifth
Henry Daniels collected a two-run single through the right side of the infield
Joe Quelch hit an infield RBI single that extended the lead to 13-2
 
Bottom of Sixth
Henry Daniels connected on a solo homer to center field
 
Bottom of Seventh
Blaze O'Saben tallied an RBI single that brought home Caden Smith for the team's 16th run of the contest
 

• The Grizzlies tallied 38 hits to score 36 runs during Wednesday's two games
• GGC connected on five home runs against Louisiana Christian; the team has set a program's single-season school record with 96 homers
• Senior left handers Tyler Clayton and Kaleb Hill each tossed complete games for the Grizzlies
• The top four hitters in GGC's lineup combined to go 10-for-21 and scored eight runs against Faulkner

• GGC improves to 50-7 this spring; Louisiana Christian ended the 2024 season at 34-21; Faulkner drops to 37-16 on the season
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 2 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll; Faulkner stood No. 15 in the same poll
• The team was the top seed in the NAIA Opening Round bracket; Louisiana Christian was the No. 5 seed; Faulkner stood as the No. 2 seed
• GGC is playing in the championship game of the NAIA Opening Round for the third time in the last four seasons

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to play Faulkner University (Alabama) in the championship game of the NAIA Opening Round Lawrenceville Bracket on Thursday, May 16, at the Grizzly Baseball Complex, starting at 11 a.m. The winning team advances to the Avista NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho.