The No. 2-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team once again shined on the mound in completing the three-game series sweep against Montreat College (North Carolina) by winning both ends of Saturday's doubleheader by 4-2 and 10-4 scores at Gwinnett Field, home of the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A affiliate Gwinnett Stripers.

The Grizzlies (24-2) allowed just six runs and 12 hits across the three-game series.

Sophomore reliever Fisher Smith scattered two hits and allowed one unearned run across four quality innings in the day's opener. The right hander improved to 2-0 for the season. Senior left hander Caiden Johnson struck out two batters in the final two innings for his second save of the spring campaign.

GGC pushed across three runs in the opening frame of the first game. Senior designated hitter Wilbert Espinal drove in two runs with a double down the right field line. Senior catcher Grant Pohlman drew a bases-loaded walk to give the team a quick 3-0 advantage.

Freshman center fielder Vick Gann collected a run-scoring single in the bottom of the fifth inning to stretch the margin to 4-1.

In the nightcap, the Grizzlies scored five runs across their final two offensive innings to pull away from the Cavaliers (20-9). Junior left fielder Trey Smith opened a two-run seventh inning with his second triple of the contest. He later scored on an RBI single by junior right fielder Jay O'Neill, giving the team a 6-4 lead.

Pohlman added a sacrifice fly that added another run in the seventh inning.

One inning later, junior pinch hitter Kyle Phin delivered a double down the left field line to bring home junior second baseman Payton Fort. Then, junior shortstop Peyton Watts hit a two-run single to center field that plated a pair of runs.

Senior starting pitcher Carson Judd had six strikeouts and allowed two earned runs across 5.2 innings to improve to 4-0 on the season. The Grizzlies' pitching staff recorded 13 strikeouts in the series finale.

Watts paced the team's 13-hit offensive attack by going 3-for-4, with two runs scored and driving in two runs. Fort also tallied three hits from the leadoff spot in the batting order. Trey Smith recorded two triples to round out the multiple-hit performers in the nightcap.


 
Coach's Corner
"It was an awesome job by our pitching staff. Our pitchers keep the opposing teams off balance. The defense makes plays when needed. Offensively, we are scratching across runs when we need them and that will only continue to improve," said Head Coach Tommy Goodale.
 
Turning Point
Junior left fielder Trey Smith led off the seventh inning of the nightcap with his second triple of the game. He would later score a key insurance run on an RBI single by junior right fielder Jay O'Neill. The Grizzlies scored five runs across the final two runs to pull away from the Cavaliers.
 
Key Plays
First Game
Bottom of First
Wilbert Espinal drove in two runs with a double down the right-field line
Grant Pohlman drew a bases-loaded walk to give GGC a 3-0 lead
 
Bottom of Fifth
Vick Gann added an RBI single through the right side of the infield, extending the lead to 4-1
 
Second Game
Bottom of Second
Jackson Legg hit a run-scoring single to left field that opened the scoring
Vick Gann added an RBI ground out to bring home Peyton Watts
Payton Fort tallied a single to center field, giving the Grizzlies a 3-0 lead
 
Bottom of Fifth
Trey Smith hit a sacrifice fly to left field for an insurance run
 
Bottom of Sixth
Vick Gann added a sacrifice fly to left field to give the Grizzlies a 5-3 advantage
 
Bottom of Seventh
Jay O'Neill lined an RBI single that brought home Trey Smith
Grant Pohlman hit a sacrifice fly as the lead grew to 7-4
 
Bottom of Eighth
Kyle Phin collected a run-scoring double down the left-field line
Peyton Watts hit a two-run single to center field that plated the team's 10th run of the contest
 
Inside The Numbers 

• The Grizzlies recorded 17 hits across Saturday's doubleheader sweep, including 13 hits in the nightcap
• The team turned three doubles plays in the opener
• GGC successfully stole five bases in both games
• Junior shortstop Peyton Watts went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored during Saturday's second game

News & Notes 

• GGC improves to 24-2 this spring; Montreat drops to 20-9 on the season
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 2 in the first regular season NAIA Top 25 poll; Montreat received votes in the same poll
• Georgia Gwinnett College has won seven of the eight games in the all-time series
• The team allowed six runs across the four games played this week

Up Next 
Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to travel to Brewton-Parker Christian University for a midweek game on Tuesday, March 17, in Mount Vernon, Georgia, starting at 3 p.m.