LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The USCB baseball team suffered its first series loss of the season Saturday, dropping both ends of a doubleheader to top-ranked Georgia Gwinnett.

The Grizzlies broke open a close game late for a 12-4 win in the first game and held on for a 2-0 victory in the finale to sweep the three-game series from the fifth-ranked Sand Sharks. 

USCB (37-9) grabbed an early lead in the opener on Brandon Joyce's RBI single in the first, but the Grizzlies answered with three runs in the second. That's where it remained until Georgia Gwinnett scored a run in the seventh and broke it open with an eight-run eighth. 

Max Balter went 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI and Joyce and Justin Kortessis each added two hits and an RBI for the Sand Sharks. Jamie Strock took the loss, allowing four runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings. 

The Sand Sharks managed only three hits in the finale as they were shut out for the first time since opening day at Trinity Baptist. 

Georgia Gwinnett scored single runs in the third and sixth to take a 2-0 lead, but the Sand Sharks threatened to cut into the deficit in the eighth. USCB loaded the bases with one out, but Will Solomon came on to get out of the jam and retired the side in order in the ninth to nail down the save. 

Dylan Yankle, Kortessis and John Cloyd each had hits for USCB. Julio De Pena took the tough-luck loss, allowing two runs and six hits over six innings. 

The Sand Sharks are back in action Tuesday, hosting St. Andrews for a non-conference game at 3 p.m.