Georgia Gwinnett rolled Fisher College 15-2 in the opening game of a seven game series Saturday afternoon at Linda K Epling Stadium 🏟 in Beckley. The #2 ranked team in N.A.I.A improved to 35-3 on the season by winning a mind boggling 15th straight game.
Forty-five minutes later they were facing a talented but below .500 team (13-21) in West Virginia Tech University. What took place over the next 2:32 is the greatest regular season victory in the 17 year stretch that Lawrence Nesselrodt has spent at the helm of the Golden Bears 🐻 program.
Robert Kelley (Vienna, Virginia) was overpowering for WVU-T, going six strong innings to earn the 5-3 victory over the Grizzlies.
Kelley was at his best in the top of the fifth inning when the right-hander struck out the side on just 10 pitches. It was a stretch where five straight Grizzlies returned to the bench after a strike out.
The final line for Kelley was six innings pitched, allowing 1 run on four hits and two walks while fanning 10. Cameron Lynch earned the save by recording the final nine outs.
The Golden Bears 🐻 plated three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to break the scoreless tie and never looked back. Noah Cummings started the rally with a one out double and Hunter Fansler followed with a single. Logan Spurlock chased home Cummings with his single and one out later Lynch made it 3-0 with a single that drove in Fansler and Spurlock.
West Virginia Tech pushed the lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning when Cummings singled home Chase Herndon after the left fielder singled at stole second base.
Georgia Gwinnett finally pushed across its first run in the final inning of work for Kelley. A one out walk and a RBI double from Alex Harrell trimmed the lead to 4-1 but Kelley managed to stand Harrell at third base.
Herndon led off the bottom of the seventh with a double and scored the final run when Fansler doubled for his third hit of the game.
GGC threatened in the eighth inning with back to back singles but Lynch recorded the final two outs to end the rally.
Three outs away from a win for the ages, the Golden Bears allowed the first three batters to reach base. Two singles sandwiched around a hit by pitch. The second single cut the lead to 5-2 and a flyout to centerfield made it 5-3 with one out.
WVU-T closed out the victory with back to back web gymes. Third baseman Jordan Thurmond tracked down a foul ball and finally gloved it at the railing for the second out. Braxton Meguair doubled to put the tying runs in scoring position, bringing up Harrell with the game in the balance.
Harrell send a blast to left centerfield that pinned Herndon to the wall before he clutched the 27th and final out to seal the victory.
The three Schools 🏫 will return to Epling Stadium 🏟 Sunday for a triple header beginning at 11:00 am when Fisher and Georgia Gwinnett kickoff a round robin day where each team plays each other.
GGC heads back to Lawrenceville at the end of the day Sunday, completing their four game stay. WVU-T and Fisher will return on Monday for a double header, to finish up the seven games in three days.
Sheetinger runs an amazing program and does it with a great deal of Class. A great ambassador for College Baseball ⚾️.
A.S.P.N on The Hill 