A three-run home run by senior Ajay Sczepkowski in the top of the seventh inning propelled the No. 2-seeded Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team to a 12-6 come-from-behind victory against No. 6 seed Tennessee Wesleyan University in Monday night's winner's bracket action of the Avista NAIA World Series at Lewis-Clark State College's Harris Field in Lewiston, Idaho.

Georgia Gwinnett College (53-7), the No. 2 seed, advances to play No. 5 seed Reinhardt University (Georgia) on Tuesday, May 28, in the World Series' winner's bracket final, beginning at 6:35 p.m. pacific time.

Sczepkowski deposited a 2-2 pitch from Tennessee Wesleyan reliever Daniel Davila over the left field fence to put the Grizzlies ahead 6-4 in the top of the seventh inning – after the team trailed 4-0 from the bottom of the first frame.

"We felt that something good was going to happen during that inning. I was seeing the ball really well and got a good barrel on the ball. I just wanted to get back in the dugout to celebrate with the guys after they were supporting me during that at-bat," said Sczepkowski of his 20th homer of the season.

GGC hit three home runs in the final three innings, including another blast by Sczepkowski to center field that scored two runs in the eighth inning. Junior Caden Smith then added a round tripper to plate two more runs in the ninth inning.

The Grizzlies have now hit a single-season school-record 100 home runs.

"The game was building up to that moment (Sczepkowski's seventh-inning home run)," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger. "The game has a way of putting the right dude in the batter's box at the right time. You could just feel something great was about to happen. We had some momentum underneath us. However, you still have to square up the baseball. That's what Ajay has done for two years for us."

Tennessee Wesleyan (41-17) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning against junior starting pitcher Ben Harris. Evan Magill brought home a pair of runs with a single to right field. Then, Daniel Stewart hit a two-run single to left field that capped the early offensive surge.

However, Harris settled down and kept the Bulldogs off the scoreboard until the seventh inning. The right hander struck out eight batters and stranded a runner at third base with one out in the fifth inning by fielding a ground ball back to the mound and striking out Kruise Newman to end the frame.

"Ben's outing was grit defined. He took some punches early and our team did as well, but we have a lot of trust in who he is and knew that there was going to be some resolve (by him). He was just one adjustment away from getting rolling like he did in the middle innings," said Sheetinger.

Harris went the distance for the Grizzlies to improve to 11-1 on the season. GGC became the first team since Cumberland University (Tennessee) in 2014 to toss back-to-back complete games at the World Series.

"We just needed some momentum and it was my job to keep the team in the game in those middle innings. I knew that something good was about to happen and I just continued to play my game," said Harris.

GGC chipped away at the early deficit by plating two runs in the top of the fourth inning. Junior Paul Winland Jr. opened the scoring with a run-scoring single before classmate Henry Daniels scored following a wild pitch.

Junior Joe Quelch lined a run-scoring single to left field in the sixth inning to bring the Grizzlies within a run, at 4-3.

Sczepkowski went 3-for-5 with five RBI and three runs scored while Quelch collected two hits to highlight the team's 10-hit offensive attack.
  "We have prepared our guys for this moment all season long. The big thing for us is if you are pitching great you have the chance to finish the game. Kaleb (Saturday's starter) set the tone for the pitching staff and Ben followed through today. We hope that trend continues. The guys have been tested all season long for moments just like this," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  The reigning NAIA Baseball Player of the Year made his presence known with one swing of the bat in Monday's winner's bracket game. Senior Ajay Sczepkowski deposited a 2-2 pitch from Tennessee Wesleyan reliever Daniel Davila deep into the Lewiston night sky to left field for a go-ahead three-run home run, putting GGC ahead 6-4 in the top of the seventh inning. Sczepkowski later added a two-run homer in the eighth inning.
  Bottom of First
Evan Magill hit a run-scoring single that plated two runs
Daniel Stewart added a two-run single to left field that gave the Bulldogs a 4-0 lead
 
Top of Fourth
Paul Winland Jr. hit a run-scoring single that scored Ajay Sczepkowski
Henry Daniels scored following a wild pitch that cut the deficit to 4-2
 
Top of Sixth
Joe Quelch lined an RBI single to left field that brought home Henry Daniels
 
Top of Seventh
Ajay Sczepkowski connected on a go-ahead three-run home run to left field that gave GGC its first lead of the contest, at 6-4
 
Bottom of Seventh
Cayle Webster hit a sacrifice fly to left field that brought the Bulldogs within a run, at 6-5
 
Top of Eighth
Blaze O'Saben collected a sacrifice fly to center field
Ajay Sczepkowski hit a two-run home run for his second round tripper of the game
 
Top of Ninth
Caden Smith connected on a two-run home run for GGC's 100th homer of the season to extend the lead to 12-5
 

• The Grizzlies outhit Tennessee Wesleyan by a 10-9 margin
• GGC hit his 100th home run of the season on Monday
• Junior starting pitcher Ben Harris picked up his 11th victory of the season
• Senior Ajay Sczepkowski had five putouts from center field in the victory

• GGC improves to 53-7 on the season; Tennessee Wesleyan drops to 41-17 in 2024
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 2 in the final NAIA Top 25 poll; Tennessee Wesleyan stood No. 13 in the same poll
• The team is the No. 2 seed in the Avista NAIA World Series bracket; Tennessee Wesleyan stood as the No. 6 seed
• GGC has won four of the five meetings this season against the Bulldogs

Georgia Gwinnett College advances to the winner's bracket final against No. 5 seed Reinhardt University (Georgia) on Tuesday, May 28, in Lewiston, Idaho, starting at 6:35 p.m. pacific time.