LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – Senior Brody Wofford gave the No. 4-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team its fifth straight home series victory with a game-winning walk-off single in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader against Indiana Tech at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.
With runners at first and second base and one out in a tied game, the outfielder’s single brought home senior C.J. Ballard for the 4-3 victory to improve the team’s record to 18-7 for the season.
Indiana Tech (13-8) took the first game of the doubleheader 10-6 after GGC won Friday’s series opener 10-5.
Georgia Gwinnett College took a 3-0 lead in the second game behind a two-run second inning and a run-scoring double from sophomore Cord Johnson in the fourth frame.
The Warriors would come back to tie the game in the fifth inning as the visitors collected three hits. The Grizzlies had chances to score later in the game, stranding two runners on the base paths in the seventh inning.
Senior reliever Matthew Swain faced three batters in the top of the ninth inning to set up the dramatic offensive performance in the bottom half of the frame. Ballard got things started with an infield base hit before a walk to sophomore Cam Coursey set up Wofford’s game-winning situation.
In the first game, Indiana Tech scored four times in the fourth inning and led 7-3 after six innings. GGC would get within two runs, 7-5, after a run-scoring single from Coursey and a passed ball allowed Johnson to score.
But, the visitors answered with three more runs in the top of the eighth inning to secure the win in Saturday’s opening game.
Turning Point
With the series in the balance, the Grizzlies came through in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the second game 4-3 and capture the weekend series. Senior C.J. Ballard stood at second base and sophomore Cam Coursey occupied first base when senior Brody Wofford came to the plate. He proceeded to line a base hit to right field that scored a hustling Ballard for the game-winning run.
Key Plays
First Game
Bottom of First
Nick Barnes connected on a two-run home run to open the scoring
Top of Third
Jashaun Simon hit a run-scoring single to tie the game, 2-2
Top of Fourth
A fielding error allowed three runs to score, giving the Warriors a 6-2 lead
Bottom of Seventh
Cam Coursey brought home Ali LaPread to cut the deficit to 7-4
A passed ball allowed Cord Johnson to score an additional run
Top of Eighth
Jacob Alvidrez drove in a pair of insurance runs for Indiana Tech with a single
Second Game
Bottom of Second
Ali LaPread gave the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead with a run-scoring double
Bottom of Fourth
Cord Johnson hit a RBI double to bring home Brenton Burgess
Top of Fifth
Alex Vydick homered for Indiana Tech to trim the deficit to 3-1
A walk with the bases loaded scored the second of three runs in the inning for the visitors
Kyle Harvey hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game, 3-3
Bottom of Ninth
Brody Wofford hit a walk-off single to bring home C.J. Ballard to give the Grizzlies the 4-3 win
Inside The Numbers
- GGC recorded 11 hits in both games of the doubleheader
- Senior Brody Wofford had three hits in the second game, including the walk-off single for the game-winner
- Freshman Ali LaPread had seven assists, including five in the second game from third base
- The Grizzlies stranded 18 baserunners in the doubleheader, including 10 during the second contest
News & Notes
- GGC improves to 18-7 on the season; Indiana Tech stands 13-8
- Georgia Gwinnett College was ranked No. 4 in the first regular season NAIA Top 25 poll; Indiana Tech stood No. 19
- The Grizzlies lead the all-time series 6-1; Saturday’s first-game victory was the first in series history for the Warriors
- Three of GGC’s six wins against Indiana Tech have been on walk-off hits, including two during the 2018 season
- GGC has won five straight home weekend series after losing a season-opening three-game set with No. 1-ranked Southeastern University (Fla.)
- The team has played eight nationally ranked opponents among the first 25 games this spring
Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College seeks revenge when hosting Thomas University (Ga.) on Tuesday, March 19, at 5 p.m. in a doubleheader at the Grizzly Baseball Complex. The Night Hawks won two of three games in a series played March 8-9 in Thomasville, Ga.