BPC Falls To Gwinnett

Courtesy of BPC

After a 45-minute delayed start due to pop-up thunderstorms, Brewton-Parker College Baseball hosted the No. 2-ranked team in the NAIA in Georgia Gwinnett on Saturday afternoon. The Barons (14-17) struggled to fend off the highly touted Grizzlies (26-5) in a pair of losses in Mount Vernon, Ga. Brewton-Parker dropped the opening game, 13-9 while skidding in a 15-1, seveninning loss in the second contest.

Game 1

Georgia Gwinnett struck early with three runs in the opening frame, utilizing a pair of Brewton-Parker errors, a double, and a single for the three-run advantage. In the second inning, the Grizzlies barreled an RBI double to move to a 4-0 lead.

Brewton-Parker put together a solid inning of offense in the bottom half of the third inning, producing four hits to score a pair of runs. Jacob Mantooth led with a single up the middle and was followed by a single from Brandon Lawrence before Michael Son brought the first run home on a sacrifice fly. Kennard Dawson helped bring in a second run off a single down the left-field line to cut the deficit in half before Drew DeMasi closed out with a base hit.

GGC homered to left center in the top of the fourth for a 5-2 lead before adding three more runs in the fifth inning with a three-RBI double to lead 8-2. The Grizzlies added another to the tally in the sixth before scoring a pair in the eighth to go up 11-2.

The Barons battled back into the contest in the bottom of the eighth, scoring seven runs on just four hits while leaving two runners on as well. Son brought home a run after a one-out double from Worrell. BPC added two runs to the scoreboard with back-to-back bases-loaded walks for an 11-5 game.

Mantooth singled to add a sixth run before another bases-loaded walk pulled the Barons within four runs. Worrell singled to score another two runs to cut the BPC deficit to 11-9. Georgia Gwinnett put the game away in the ninth inning with an RBI double and a sacrifice flyout to seal the game shut, 13- 9.

GGC led 12-10 in hits. Worrell led the Barons with two hits and a pair of RBIs which included a double. The BPC defense gave up five errors. Alex Muns (3-3) received the loss after tossing seven innings, giving away nine runs on nine hits while striking out four and walking four. Logan Berggren struck out two batters in an inning while Ty Cook closed the final inning.

Game 2 The Grizzlies continued their positive form into the second game of the day, opening with a three-run homer in the first inning. The Barons got a run back with a wild pitch to cut the deficit to two runs in the bottom of the second inning.

Georgia Gwinnett moved to a 6-1 lead in the third scoring two groundouts and a double before blowing the game wide open in the fifth inning, scoring seven runs on four hits and a pair of errors. GGC highlighted the inning with a two-run homer, an RBI triple, and a three-run homer for a 14-1 lead. The visitors added one final run to the tally in the seventh to secure a 15-1 win over Brewton-Parker.

GGC led 9-5 in hits with Carson Kirby and Worrell leading BPC with two hits apiece. The Grizzlies totaled three homers, two doubles, and a triple. Bryce Morley (13) received the loss, pitching three innings and giving away six earned runs while striking out five batters, allowing four hits and walking two. Three others rounded out the relief with Ryan Dopson pitching 2.2 innings, striking out three and walking four.

The Barons are set to hit the road this weekend at Tennessee Southern for a series in Pulaski, Tenn.