A two-hit pitching performance and 13-hit offensive attack were the winning ingredients as the No. 2-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team dished up a sweep this weekend's road series at Lindsey Wilson University with a commanding 13-1 victory on Sunday in Columbia, Kentucky.
The Grizzlies (16-1) scored 13 straight runs after trailing 1-0 in the first inning. They answered with five runs in the top of the second inning, two in the fifth frame and a decisive six-run sixth inning to post their ninth victory in 10 road games this spring.
Four pitchers combined to keep the Blue Raiders' hitters off balance for most of the game. The team didn't get a hit after having a double to lead off the second inning. Senior right hander
Shane Anderson went the first three innings, allowing the lone opposing run of the game, before handing things over to senior reliever
Jake Cothran for the next two frames. Then, junior
Colby Heiser and senior
Clay Cox each had one-inning relief appearances. Together, GGC's pitchers had nine strikeouts.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies' offensive was productive as well, spreading 13 hits among nine players throughout the batting order. Junior shortstop
Peyton Watts went 3-for-4 and brought home two runs, while junior second baseman
Payton Fort and senior right fielder
Wilbert Espinal each had two hits. Junior center fielder
Trey Smith had a home run in each game of the series and now has a team-high four homers and 25 RBI.
Coach's Corner
"We took another step forward today. I am proud of the way the guys attacked the opportunity that today brought. Each guy in the starting lineup got a hit for the second day in a row. On the mound, we did a much better job of filling up the zone (throwing strikes) and getting ahead in the count," said Head Coach
Tommy Goodale.
Turning Point
A two-run home run by junior
Trey Smith – his third homer of the weekend series – culminated a five-run second inning in which the Grizzlies responded to a 1-0 first-inning deficit. Junior
JJ Garcia brought home a run with a sacrifice fly and two runs were scored as the team took advantage of two defensive errors by the Blue Raiders.
Key Plays
Top of Second
Lance Bratlien stole third base and then scored on an errant throw by the catcher, tying the game at 1-1
The team took advantage of another defensive error as
Chris Tillery scored from third base
JJ Garcia hit a sacrifice fly out to centerfield, scoring
Jackson Legg
Trey Smith smashed a two-run home run over the centerfield fence, giving the team an early 5-1 lead
Top of Fifth
A run-scoring ground out by
JJ Garcia scored
Lance Bratlien
Payton Fort lined out to centerfield, allowing
Chris Tillery to score the team's eighth run of the game
Top of Sixth
Trey Smith started the six-run inning by scoring after another defensive error
Wilbert Espinal stole home to give GGC a 9-1 lead
A run-scoring single by
JJ Garcia brought home
Grant Pohlman
Another single by
Peyton Watts brought home
Jackson Legg and
JJ Garcia
Inside The Numbers
- The Grizzlies outhit Lindsey Wilson by a 13-2 margin
- Four pitchers combined to toss a two-hitter; relievers Jake Cothran, Colby Heiser and Clay Cox didn't allow a hit over the final four innings
- Junior Peyton Watts went 3-for-4, had two RBI, and scored a run
- The Grizzlies took advantage of five errors made by the Blue Raiders in the game
News & Notes
- GGC improves to 17-1 for the season and has won four straight games; Lindsey Wilson College falls to 6-8 on the season
- The Grizzlies were ranked No. 2 in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 poll
- Georgia Gwinnett College has won 16 of the 19 games, and 13 straight contests, in the all-time series against Lindsey Wilson
- The team has won nine of its 10 road games this season
Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to have another midweek game against No. 5 Tennessee Wesleyan University, traveling to Athens, Tennessee, for a single game on Tuesday, March 3, starting at 5 p.m. The Grizzlies won the first game of the season series with the Bulldogs 8-6 last Tuesday in Lawrenceville.
