LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The top-seeded Georgia Gwinnett College softball team begins its quest for a third consecutive Association of Independent Institutions championship Thursday, May 2, with a first-round tournament game against No. 4-seed Talladega College (Ala.) at noon from the Grizzly Baseball Complex.
GGC is hosting the A.I.I. Championship tournament following a regular season in which the Grizzlies posted a 36-14 record and are ranked No. 9 in the NAIA Top 25 poll.
Crowley’s Ridge College (Ark.), the tournament’s No. 2 seed, and No. 3-seeded Edward Waters College (Fla.) round out the four teams in this week’s double-elimination bracket.
The champion is set to be crowned on Saturday, May 4.
Georgia Gwinnett College won all four regular-season games against Talladega this spring, outscoring Tornadoes by a 60-to-1 margin in the process.
The tournament hosts have a .355 team batting average and have connected on 30 home runs so far in 2019. Junior outfielder RaeQuinn Rossetti leads the team with a .412 batting average and 34 stolen bases. She is followed closely by senior outfielder Aubree Cox, hitting at a .407 clip.
In the pitching circle, senior Taylor Hansis has a 19-7 record and 1.24 earned run average. Sophomore Piper Wagner, at 10-2, gives the Grizzlies a quality pitching rotation. Wagner is coming off a shutout victory against No. 6-ranked University of Mobile in the regular-season finale.
MEET THE COACHES
Georgia Gwinnett College: Kat Ihlenburg is in her seventh season leading the Grizzlies. She has guided the program to a 277-100-2 record and four trips to NAIA postseason play.
Talladega: Allison Barbee is in her second season guiding the Tornadoes. She led the team to a runner-up finish at the 2018 A.I.I. Softball Championships and a berth in the NAIA Opening Round. She has a 29-56 record at the college.
Crowley’s Ridge: Jordan Malone is in her fourth season leading her alma mater. She has a 42-77 record and has led the Pioneers to back-to-back postseason appearances
Edward Waters: Manny Perez is in his first season at the helm of the Jacksonville-based college, posting a 10-16 record this season.
FAMILIAR FIELD
The same four teams that competed in last season’s A.I.I. Softball Championships have returned to Lawrenceville this spring. GGC defeated Talladega 8-0 in five innings to win the 2018 league championship.
NATIONAL RANKING
The Grizzlies, with a 36-14 record, enter postseason play ranked No. 9 in the NAIA Top 25 poll. The team is coming off a home doubleheader split against No. 6 University of Mobile last Friday.
SERIES HISTORY
GGC holds a 22-1 lead in the all-time history against Talladega. Four of those victories have already come this season. The Grizzlies have won 14 straight meetings against the Tornadoes.
The Grizzlies had an 8-0 victory against Crowley’s Ridge in the opening game of the 2018 A.I.I. tournament in Lawrenceville, behind a no-hitter by senior pitcher Taylor Hansis. That was the first game between the two programs.
Georgia Gwinnett College has won all three prior meetings against Edward Waters, including a 9-1 victory during the 2018 A.I.I. Championships.
SCOUTING THE TORNADOES
Talladega enters the tournament with a 6-32 record. The Tornadoes are led by a pair of .300 hitters with Kayelyn Lewis at .357 and Taylor Espinoza at .333. Espinoza also leads the team with three home runs.
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
Crowley’s Ridge stands 17-20 on the season and has has been guided by a pair of .400-plus hitters in its lineup. Kaitlyn Stebelton leads the conference with a .480 batting average that includes nine doubles and eight triples. She has also recorded 30 stolen bases. Bre’Anna Warren is batting .464, with 45 runs scored this spring. In the pitching circle, Sammi Henry has posted a 7-9 record with a 4.08 ERA in 17 starts.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Edward Waters is 10-16 this spring and has connected on 13 home runs in 2019, led by Samantha Hiley with six homers. She is also tops on the team with 20 RBI and a .338 batting average. Brook Spaulding has scored 22 runs and is also hitting at a .338 clip. Alyssa Fonda has posted a 5-6 record in the pitching circle with a 3.90 ERA in 12 starts for the Tigers.
FOLLOW THE GRIZZLIES ON SOCIAL MEDIA
GGCAthletics.com will be home for the latest news and information regarding the baseball season. Video broadcasts of all games in the A.I.I. Softball Championship tournament will be provided by the Grizzly Digital Network. Matt Mahony will provide play-by-play commentary for all GGC games. Keep track of GGC Athletics through the following social media: Twitter (@GGCAthletics), Facebook (GGCAthletics) and Instagram (GGCAthletics).