Drive eliminate Sand Gnats from Playoffs, 5-4

The second playoff game was played Friday evening at Grayson Stadium. The Greenville Drive held off the Savannah Sand Gnats to win 5-4. The 2,515 fans were noisy-the first 1,000 fans to enter the ballpark received a vuvuzela horn.

Greenville got off to a quick start in the first inning scoring two runs on 2 base on balls, a hit batter and a single. In the 5th, the Drive added another run. 2bZach Gentile led off the 6th with a double followed by a home run by 1b Reynoldo Rodriquez.

Savannah scored 2 runs in the 4th:3b Adrelin Rodriquez singled followed by a walk to rf Cesar Puello. A double by lf Cody Holliday scored two runs. Gnats scored two runs in the 8th: A. Rodriquez singled and Holliday walked. cAlbert Cordero singled to score Rodriquez. Holliday scored on a wild pitch.

Savannah collected 8 hits for the game. A. Rodriquez went 3-for-4 and scored two runs.

Starting Sand Gnat pitcher, Taylor Whitenton,pitched 5 innings, gave up 5 runs on 4 hits, 3BB and struck out four. Josh Edgin appeared in his third game, pitched three innings, and did not allow a hit or run and struck out two. Gabriel Zavala struck out two batters in the 9th inning.

Savannah2 Asheville 1

The final home game of the regular season for the Sand Gnats was played Monday afternoon at Grayson Stadium. The Gnats edged the Tourists 2-1. Savannah pitching was outstanding, allowing Asheville only 3 hits for the game.

The Tourists scored their only run in the 8th inning, when cAnthony Aguilera hit a home run over the left field fence(his 1st).

Savannah scored in the 2nd: 2bJet Butler singled, stole second, and scored on a single by cAlbert Cordero. In the 3rd inning, Gnats scored when ssLuis Nieves singled and later scored on a passed ball.

Two Savannah players got 4 of the 6 hits:Nieves was 2for-4 with a run scored. Cordell went 2-for-3 with 1 RBI.

Winning Sand Gnat pitcher, Collin McHugh, improved his record to (7-8). He pitched 5 innings, struck out 5, and allowed only one hit. Michael Herbert, worked 3 1/3 innings, gave up one run on 1 hit and struck out two. Luis Rojas pitched 2/3 inning struck out one and gave up one hit.

The announced attendance was 1,781.

Savannah 5 Asheville 1

The third game of the four game series between the Asheville Tourist and the Savannah Sand Gnats was played Sunday at Grayson Stadium before 1,776 fans. With the 5-1 win, the Gnats eliminated the Asheville Tourists from playoff contention.

The Tourists scored their only run of the game in the 3rd inning.

Savannah tired the score in the 4th inning:dhRobbie Shields singled, stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice fly. He scored on a sacrifice fly by2bJet Butler. Gnats scored a run in the 6th.

In the 8th, a double, a dropped fly ball by the left fielder, followed by a base on ball and cJuan Torres single scored two runs.

The Sand Gnats had 5 hits for the game. Shields was 2-for4 with a double and two runs scored. Torres was 2-for-3 with 3 RBI's.

Starting Sand Gnat pitcher Darin Gorski, with the win, improved his record to (6-8). He pitched 6 innings, gave up only 1 run on 7 hits and struck out eight. Gabriel Zavala, Josh Edgin, and Brandon Sage combined to shut out the Tourists and striking out seven.

Tourists 6 Sand Gnats 2

The second game of the four game series between the Asheville Tourists and the Savannah Sand Gnats was played Saturday evening at Grayson Stadium in front of 3,469 fans. Both teams made several outstanding defensive plays.

Asheville scored single runs in the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th innings. dhAvery Barnes hit a two run home run in the 6th. Tourist scored their final run in the 7th inning.

Savannah was hitless for five innings and collected 2 hits in the 6th. The Gnats scored their two runs in the 7th when 1bTravis Ozga singled and was followed by a home run by cJuan Torres.(his 3rd of the season).

Starting Sand Gnat pitcher, Taylor Whitenton, went 5 innings, gave up 3 runs on 6 hits, 3BB, and struck out 7. Guillaume Leduc pitched 2 innings, gave up 3 runs on 2 hits, 3BB, and struck out 4. Ramiro Peralta and John Church combined for 2 innings of shutout baseball and allowed 1 hit.

Savannah 5 Asheville 4

The final series of the regular season was played Friday evening at Grayson Stadium before 1,198 fans.

Savannah scored a run in the 12th inning to to beat Asheville, 5-4. lfCody Holliday walked in the 12th, moved to third on a single by 2bLuis Nieves, and scored the winning run on a ground ball hit by ssRobbie Shields.

The Tourist got off to a fast start in the first inning, when their first four batters singled to score 2 runs. Asheville added a run in the 6th and scored a run in the 9th.

In the 5th inning, Gnats did not get a hit but scored 2 runs on 5 walks, a wild pitch and a pass ball. The game went into extra innings after Savannah scored a run in the 9th to tie the game.

The Gnats had 5 hits for the game, The hiting star was 2bLuis Nieves who was 4-for-4, with a double, two walks, and a run scired.

Starting Savannah Gnat pitcher, Gonzales German, went 6 innings, gave up 3 runs on 8 hits and struck out three. Edgin pitched 2 innings and gave up a hit and struck out two. Marcos Tabata picked up the win(4-1)- allowing 1 run on on 4 hits and stricking outtwo.