LEBANON, Tenn. – Senior Brody Wofford connected on a grand slam during a six-run sixth inning as the No. 7-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team picked up a 15-5 road win Wednesday afternoon against Cumberland University (Tenn.).
The Grizzlies (21-7) broke open a 3-3 game with the pivotal sixth inning. Sophomore Cord Johnson gave the visitors the lead with a run-scoring single. A fielding error allowed another run to score as the Grizzlies grabbed a 5-3 advantage.
That setup Wofford’s at bat in which he connected on a grand slam over the right field fence to give GGC a 9-3 lead. The grand slam is the third hit by the team this season.
GGC would score two runs each in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings to account for 15 runs – the 11th time that the team has scored 10 or more runs this season.
Senior Brandon Robinson hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning to close out the productive afternoon for the Grizzlies.
Sophomore Nick Tanner gave GGC a 3-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning with his first collegiate home run. Cumberland (17-9) pushed across two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the game, 3-3.
Junior starting pitcher Pedro Garcia struck out five batters and improved to 2-1 on the season with five quality innings on the mound. Freshman Alec Kliphouse tossed the remaining four innings to collect his fourth save of the season.
Johnson led GGC’s 12-hit offensive attack by going 2-for-2, scoring three runs and having two RBI. Freshman Ali LaPread and Wofford each recorded two hits in the victory.
Turning Point
Leading 5-3 in the sixth inning, the Grizzlies put the game out of reach with one swing of the bat. Senior Brody Wofford hit a grand slam home run after Cumberland intentionally walked sophomore Nick Tanner to load the bases. Wofford’s home run stretched GGC’s lead to 9-3 and came just after the Phoenix had tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Key Plays
Top of Fourth
Gabe Austin reached on catcher’s interference to bring home Nick Barnes and give GGC a 2-1 lead
Top of Fifth
Nick Tanner hit the first of three home runs for the Grizzlies, with a solo homer to left field
Top of Sixth
Cord Johnson gave GGC a 4-3 lead with a run-scoring single
Brandon Robinson scored following a fielding error to give the visitors a 5-3 lead
Brody Wofford connected on a grand slam to cap a six-run inning
Top of Seventh
Cord Johnson hit a RBI single to score Brandon Robinson
Top of Ninth
Brandon Robinson hit a two-run home run
Inside The Numbers
- GGC collected 12 hits in the victory
- Five of the 12 hits went for extra bases, including three home runs
- Nine different GGC players registered a hit in the game
- Senior Brody Wofford hit the team’s third grand slam of the season
News & Notes
- GGC improves to 21-7 on the season; Cumberland drops to 17-9
- Georgia Gwinnett College stood No. 7 in the NAIA Top 25 poll, announced Tuesday evening
- GGC is 2-0 in games played in Tennessee this season
- Freshman Alec Kliphouse recorded his fourth save of the season
Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College begins a three-game series against No. 18-ranked Lyon College (Ark.) on Friday, March 22, at 4 p.m. at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.