LEWISTON, Idaho – The Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team got off to a rousing start in the 2019 Avista NAIA World Series, with a grand slam home run by senior Brody Wofford leading the No. 5-seeded Grizzlies to a 6-3 victory against Faulkner University (Ala.) in a first-round game Friday afternoon.

The victory is the first time the Grizzlies (47-11) have won a first-round game in three trips to the NAIA Avista World Series. The team advances into winner’s bracket play on Monday, May 27, for a game (3 p.m. pacific time) against the winner of Saturday’s game between No. 1-seeded Tennessee Wesleyan University and No. 8-seeded Indiana Tech.

Wofford smashed his team-leading 11th homer of the season over the center field wall to cap a two-out fifth-inning rally that turned a 1-0 deficit into a 4-1 lead.

“I knew, with a 3-ball, 2-strike count, that I was going to get a good pitch and I put a good swing on it,” said the outfielder about his home run effort. “I want to do whatever I can to help the team win.”

The No. 4-seeded Eagles (49-11) took their 1-0 advantage on a solo home run from Jacob Freeland in the fourth inning.

GGC junior starting pitcher Pedro Garcia struck out 11 batters in 6.2 innings to pick up his seventh victory of the season. The right hander recorded two strikeouts in three of those innings.

Then, senior reliever Matthew Swain collected his second save of the season, tossing 1.1 innings. He got a strikeout to end the eighth inning when Faulkner brought the tying run to the plate. The Eagles threatened again with the potential game-tying run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning. However, once again, Swain got out of the jam, this time producing a ground out to secure the victory.

Senior pinch hitter Onassis Matos added a key two-run single down the left field line to build GGC’s lead to 6-2 in the seventh inning.

The Grizzlies tallied 11 hits in the contest, led by senior Alex Garland with four hits. Junior Gabe Austin and sophomore Cam Coursey each added two hits for the victors.

 

Turning Point

One swing of the bat put the Grizzlies from trailing 1-0 to having a 4-1 lead in the first-round game. Taking that swing was senior Brody Wofford, who connected on a grand slam in the top of the fifth inning. The outfielder also hit the go-ahead home run in the championship game of the Lawrenceville Bracket, clinching the team’s bid to the World Series.

 

Key Plays

Bottom of Fourth

Jacob Freeman opened the inning with a home run

 

Top of Fifth

Brody Wofford connected on a grand slam home run over the center field wall to give the Grizzlies a 4-1 lead

 

Top of Seventh

Onassis Matos came off the bench to hit a two-run single to extend the lead to 6-2

 

Inside The Numbers

  • GGC outhit Faulkner by an 11-to-8 margin
  • The teams combined to hit three home runs
  • Senior Alex Garland collected four of GGC’s 11 hits
  • Junior pitcher Pedro Garcia recorded 11 strikeouts in the starting assignment

 

News & Notes

  • GGC improves to 47-11 on the season; Faulkner falls to 49-11 this spring
  • Georgia Gwinnett College was the No. 5 seed in the 2019 Avista NAIA World Series bracket; Faulkner stood as the No. 4 seed in the double-elimination tournament
  • The Grizzlies were ranked No. 4 in the final NAIA Top 25 poll of the regular season
  • GGC is making its third trip to the Avista-NAIA World Series; the team advanced to the semifinal round of the 2018 series
  • Friday’s victory marks the first time GGC has won a first-round game in its three appearances to the Avista NAIA World Series
  • Georgia Gwinnett College has won seven straight postseason games this spring
  • The team has won both meetings against Faulkner played in the Avista NAIA World Series, defeating the Eagles 20-9 in 2018

 

Up Next

Georgia Gwinnett College advances to the winner’s bracket to play the winner of No. 1-seeded Tennessee Wesleyan University and No. 8-seeded Indiana Tech on Monday, May 27, at 3 p.m. pacific time.