LAKELAND, Fla.—The Fire baseball team dropped its 2016 season opener to eighth-ranked Georgia Gwinnett 7-1 Friday night.
Leading 2-1 heading to the top of the six, the Grizzlies (1-0) broke the game open with a five-run inning, needing just four hits.
Southeastern (0-1) couldn't respond, totaling just two more hits after the fifth off of GGC reliever Davis Adkins, who earned the win.
The Fire got on the board first in the bottom of the second when
Angel Garced scored on a ground out. A two-out double by the Grizzlies in the top of the third tied the game, and went on to take the lead in the top of the fifth on an error.
The loss marked the first on opening day since 2011.
Jordan Gard picked up the loss, allowing two runs on four hits over five innings of work. The senior struck out four and walked three on 93 pitches. After a rough first inning of work,
Mike Ruppenthal settled down and struck out six over his next two innings of work, without allowing a hit.
F.T. Corso worked a scoreless one-hit ninth.
The teams will resume play Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
