LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - The IU Kokomo Baseball opened up their weekend a day earlier than scheduled due to impending weather on the weekend, battling #3 Georgia Gwinnett Thursday night in the first of three games in two days.

The Cougars found themselves in front through two and a half innings, but the Grizzlies scored five unanswered to win 6-2.

JT Holton made his third series-opening start in as many weeks for IU Kokomo, tossing three innings before being removed ahead of the fourth due to injury. Holton received the loss to fall to 1-2 on the year, allowing three earned runs on four hits and two walks, striking out five.

Georgia Gwinnett leadoff man Joe Ponder led off the bottom of the first with a single before stealing a pair of bags and scoring on a sacrifice fly, giving the Grizzlies a 1-0 lead.

IU Kokomo recorded a hit in each of the first six innings, as Luke Hanson led off the second with a single to right field. Gavin Smith doubled with one out in the frame, advancing Hanson's courtesy runner Judah Hennessy to third.

Second baseman Caden Whitehead delivered a great at-bat with one away in the inning, bringing in Hennessy on an RBI ground-out to second, evening the score 1-1.

After Holton posted a zero in the bottom of the frame, the Cougars would push a run across in the top of the third to lead 2-1. Noah Wolf walked before taking second and third via wild pitches, scoring on a Jacob Medvescek RBI single.

The Grizzlies answered immediately, re-taking a 3-2 lead with two runs on two hits and an error in the bottom of the third. Holton struck out the final two batters of the inning to strand a pair in scoring position.

Brett Huiner entered in the fourth in relief of Holton, surrendering a pair of runs with two outs on a fly-ball to centerfield that was scored a triple due to windy conditions. Georgia Gwinnett led 5-2 after four complete.

GGC would push their final run of the game across in the sixth via a balk, taking a 6-2 lead. Cougar LHP Nathan Stanley entered the game with one out in the sixth and the bases juiced, inducing a 5-4-3 double play to get IU Kokomo out of a jam and keep it a four-run game.

Even with the strong relief efforts from Stanley in two and two-thirds innings of scoreless work, the Cougars were unable to muster anything offensively despite out-hitting the Grizzlies 8-7.

#3 Georgia Gwinnett's Jeremiah Locklear was stellar in five innings of scoreless relief, keeping the Cougars off the scoreboard while allowing four hits and three walks, thanks in large part to six strikeouts.

IU Kokomo redshirt sophomore shortstop Gavin Smith enjoyed his best game of the season to this point offensively, going 3/4 with a pair of singles and a double.

The Cougars will return to action at the Grizzly Baseball Complex Friday morning, as they are set to battle (RV) Indiana Wesleyan at 10:00 AM ET before taking on the third-ranked Grizzlies once again at 6:00 PM ET.

For the latest news, updates, and information on the IU Kokomo Cougars, fans can visit IUKCougars.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Cougar news by following @IUKAthletics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.