Savannah 16, Augusta 5

After a tough doubleheader Thursday, the Sand Gnats offense finally exploded with a 17-hit barrage to lead them to a, 16-5, win over the Augusta GreenJackets in the finale of the three-game series Friday night at Lake Olmstead Stadium. Joey August led the offense as he went 3-for-5 with four RBI.

Augusta struck first in the first off starter Chris Schwinden (9-6) but the Gnats would have the last laugh as they put up 11 runs over the next three innings. In the third, Josh Satin led off with a double, his league-leading 35th of the year, and Eric Campbell followed with the first of his three walks on the game.

After Jean Luc Blaquiere flew out, August drove in the first of his two runs with a double to right center and Evan LeBlanc grounded out to drive in the Gnats third run.

The outburst of runs would continue in the third as Savannah sent nine men to the plate and scored five runs to open up an, 8-1, lead. After three batters in the third, the Gnats chased starter Mike Loree (8-8), who ended the game allowing six runs (four earned) in two plus innings.

Schwinden posted his ninth win of the season to tie him for the team lead with Jeurys Familia with a six-inning, one-run performance. The starter from Visalia, Calif. once again did not allow a walk and has walked just four batters in his last eight starts.

Savannah had eight of its nine starters record hits in the contest with multi-hit games coming from August, Blaquiere, Satin, LeBlanc, Nick Giarraputo, and Raul Reyes, LeBlanc also blasted his first professional home run in the win for Savannah.

With the offense coming to life, the Sand Gnats (23-27, 58-62) will travel to Rome where they will face off with the Braves beginning Saturday at 7:05 p.m. RHP Eric Beaulac (6-7, 2.76) makes the start for the Sand Gnats while J.J. Hoover (6-5, 3.21) throws for the Rome Braves.