Savannah 11, Hickory 2

A four-run first inning set the tone for the rest of the game as the Sand Gnats routed the Hickory Crawdads, 11-2, Sunday afternoon at Grayson Stadium. Wilmer Flores was 4-for-4 with three singles, a double and two RBI while Eric Campbell was 3-for-5 with 3 RBI in the win.
Youngster Jefry Marte started the rally in the first when he singled with one down. Jordan Abruzzo and Flores each followed with singles to load the bases for Sean Ratliff, who drove in his first run of the game with a sacrifice fly. Campbell got the first two of his three RBIs on the day with his double into centerfield. Kai Gronauer finished the scoring with an RBI single of his own. After one inning, the Gnats were on top, 4-0.

The Gnats blew it open in the third when they sent 11 batters the plate and scored seven runs on six hits. Raul Reyes clubbed an RBI double in the inning that drove in a pair and Flores had a two-RBI single in his second at bat of the frame. The inning put an end to the outing for Crawdads’ starter Joe Wieland (2-2), who was unable to record an out in the third. He allowed nine runs (seven earned) on nine hits in his worst start of the year.

It was the complete opposite for Gnats starter Kyle Allen (7-5), who becomes the third Sand Gnat to reach the seven-win mark. The 19-year-old won his second straight start by hurling six innings of four-hit baseball with three strikeouts.

Jake Goldberg, John Church and Phillips Orta all pitched an inning of scoreless relief for the home club on the heels of Allen’s start. With the three scoreless innings, the bullpen runs its stretch of scoreless innings pitched on this homestand to 21 innings.

Savannah (48-46, 13-11) will look for a series win tomorrow over the Crawdads in the series finale. RHP Jeurys Familia (7-6, 3.09) will try to become the first Gnat to win eight games when he takes the hill on a Military Monday.