Gnats 7, Asheville 0

Jeff Kaplan (2-1) pitched seven scoreless innings while Sean Ratliff went 4-for-4 with three doubles, a home run and three RBI in the Sand Gnats, 7-0, win over the Asheville Tourists in front of 2,754 at Historic Grayson Stadium.

The Gnats got offense going in the first with two outs when Eric Campbell drew a walk from Tourists’ starter Robinson Fabian (1-1). Ratliff clubbed the first of this three doubles to put runners at second and third with two away. Josh Satin followed with an RBI single to drive in both Campbell and Ratliff to put Savannah on top, 2-0. Two runs would be more than enough for Kaplan, who is the first pitcher to throw seven innings for the Gnats this season. He allowed just three hits, the first coming in the fifth, while walking one and striking out three. At one point in the game, Kaplan had retired 11 straight Asheville batters.

Manny Olivares pitched the final two innings to preserve the shutout. Even more impressive is the series that the 22-year-old Ratliff is having. In the series, Ratliff is 8-for-8 with six doubles, one home run, three RBI, and four runs scored. If you extend it out over his last five games, the Oklahoma City, Olka. native is 15-for-21 with eight doubles, two home runs, six RBI and 10 runs scored.

The rest of Savannah’s lineup accounted for the other six hits with Satin and Eric Campbell going 1-for-3.