LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – Senior pitcher Jonathan McKinney tossed seven scoreless innings and the offense collected 14 hits, with five multiple-hit performances, Saturday for the No. 7-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team. It all added up to the Grizzlies’ 11-2 victory over No. 18 Lyon College 11-2 to even the weekend series at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.
GGC (22-8) scored nine runs in the middle innings in the showdown between ranked NAIA teams. Three runs came in the fifth inning to grab a 5-0 lead. Two more runs were added to the scoreboard in the sixth frame before another four runs crossed home plate for the hosts one inning later.
Meanwhile, McKinney was dominant on the mound, recording eight strikeouts and improved to 4-2 on the season.
A wild pitch scored senior C.J. Ballard and a sacrifice fly from sophomore Nick Barnes gave the Grizzlies an early 2-0 advantage in the first inning.
Senior Brody Wofford extended the lead to 4-0 in the fifth inning with a two-run triple. Barnes capped that inning with a run-scoring single.
Later, senior Brenton Burgess connected on a two-run double for the big hit of the four-run seventh inning. He tallied three hits in the game, with two doubles.
Ballard scored three runs and had two hits, while Wofford and Johnson each added two hits in the victory.
The two teams will play the series-deciding game on Sunday, March 24, at 1 p.m. after Lyon (23-9) picked up an 11-6 win on Friday.
Turning Point
The Grizzlies broke the game open by spreading nine runs across the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. Senior Brody Wofford started the scoring by legging out a two-run triple giving the team a 4-0 lead in the fifth frame. That’s all senior starting pitcher Jonathan McKinney would need in terms of run support. The right hander tossed seven scoreless innings in the contest.
Key Plays
Bottom of First
A wild pitch allowed C.J. Ballard to score the first run of the game
Nick Barnes hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home Brenton Burgess
Bottom of Fifth
Brody Wofford connected on a triple to score a pair of runs
Nick Barnes gave the Grizzlies a 5-0 lead with a run-scoring single
Bottom of Seventh
Brenton Burgess hit a two-run double down the left field line during a four-run inning
Inside The Numbers
- GGC outhit Lyon by a 14-to-6 margin in the contest
- The Grizzlies recorded eight stolen bases in the victory
- Eight different GGC players tallied a hit, including five players with multiple-hit performances
- Four pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts on the mound
News & Notes
- GGC improves to 22-8 on the season; Lyon falls to 23-9
- Georgia Gwinnett College is No. 7 in the NAIA Top 25 poll; Lyon stood No. 18 in the same poll
- Sunday’s rubber match will determine the series winner after Lyon won Friday 11-6 and GGC’s 11-2 win on Saturday
- Former players were welcomed back for Alumni Day; they participated in pre-game batting practice and Antonio Allen, a member of the inaugural 2013 team and the 2014 World Series team, threw out the ceremonial first pitch of the game
Up Next
The two teams conclude the weekend series on Sunday, March 24, at 1 p.m. at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.