"The Claw" Test By Kennedy L. Patterson

JUNE 24, 2020

CURABITUR LEO

GWINNETT SPORTS COMMISSION

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

NAIA

BROUGHT TO YOU BY A.I.I

SPONSORED BY

Jet’s Pizza

The Claw

Collecting Diamond Wins A winning spirit has become synonymous with the Georgia Gwinnett College baseball program, thanks to a 2016 team and its record-setting achievements on the diamond. Just three years after the Grizzlies’ inaugural season, the 2016 squad opened that spring with 25 consecutive wins and ranked as the nation’s best NAIA team for a majority of the season. Attention to that team’s

New giveaways for the first 50 students at this weeks events

1

JUNE 24, 2020

winning ways came this spring when the 2020 GGC team concluded the season with a 22game streak. The 2016 season started with a series sweep at Southeastern University (Fla.), with the visitors scoring 27 runs across the three games.“Those wins sent a message (to others) that GGC baseball was elite. It really set a positive tone for the season, not just for us, but every other opponent for the remainder of the season,” stated Tyler Souris, a relief pitcher for the 2016 team. Attention to that team’s winning ways came this spring when the 2020 GGC team concluded the season with a 22-game streak. The 2016 season started with a series sweep at Southeastern University (Fla.), with the visitors scoring 27 runs across the three games. “Those wins sent a message (to others) that GGC baseball was elite. It really set a positive tone for the season, not just for us, but every other opponent for the remainder of the season,” stated Tyler Souris, a relief pitcher for the 2016 team. “We were always concentrating on winning the game we were playing that day, then turning our attention to the next game,” said Solomon.Souris adds, “Any winning streak in baseball is a feat in itself, so to go on another run of 13 games really speaks volumes about the quality of the 2016 team.In postseason play, the Grizzlies rolled to the Association of Independent Institutions tournament championship, defeating Clarke University (Iowa) 14-1 to qualify for the NAIA Opening Round. The team opened that level with a 3-0 victory against the University of British Columbia in Lawrenceville and defeated No. 19 Indiana University Southeast 8-2. Then, the season came to a disappointing end with consecutive setbacks to Lindsey Wilson College (Ky.), losing 4-3 in the championship game.The 2016 team finished with a 57-6 record – capping the first four seasons of GGC baseball with a 190-48 record

CoSida Academic AllAmerican GeorgiaGwinnettCollege tennis player FedericoBonaciah asearnedNAIA Academic All-America honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) for his stellar

CURABITUR LEO

This weeks Game Times and campus events!

GGC Men’s Soccer Vs. Reinhardt-this Wednesday at 7pm GGC Baseball VS. Point University-this Friday night under the lights at 6pm GGC T-shirt swap this week from 12pm-3pm 2

JUNE 24, 2020

CURABITUR LEO

performances on the court and in the classroom. Bonacia was a second At-Large team selection among NAIA student-athletes competing in bowling, field hockey, golf, hockey, lacrosse, tennis, swimming and diving, men's volleyball and wrestling during the 2019-20 school year.

Student-athletes eligible for Academic All-American honors need to be in their second year at their current institution and have a 3.3 or higher cumulative grade point average. Sports Information Directors from throughout the country voted after reviewing each players' career statistics as the 2020 tennis season was amended by the COVID-19 public health pandemic.

Bonacia, an exercise wellness nursing major, earned 2020 ITA All-American honors after being ranked No. 2 nationally in doubles and No. 3 in singles. He won all seven of his singles matches this spring and had an 11-1 doubles record, including a 10-0 mark with senior teammate Federico Herrera Duran. That success helped the Grizzlies post a 14-0 record – continuing a 123-match winning streak – and No. 1 national ranking.

In 2019, Bonacia was a first NAIA All-America team selection after winning a team-high 46 matches, with 24 victories coming in doubles play. The native of Rome, Italy, captured the clinching point as GGC captured the NAIA national championship.

GGC's Office of Athletics has now had 18 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans since the 2017 spring season, including five student-athletes during the 2019-20 season.

3