Savannah 9 - West Virginia 3

The Savannah Sand Gnats took game one of a three game road set against the West Virginia Power by a score of 9-3 on Wednesday. The early morning 10:30 a.m. first pitch did nothing to mute the Gnats’ offense, as every Savannah hitter in the starting lineup reached base.

West Virginia (11-21) attacked first, scoring runs in the second inning and third inning on a Wyatt Mathisen solo home run and a Edwin Espinal ground-out, respectively.

Although Gnats starter Ricky Knapp was tagged for nine hits, the righthander minimized the damage to three runs, earning himself his second win of the season.

Savannah (21-9) responded in the fifth inning when CF Patrick Biondi singled home 1B Dominic Smith with two outs. Shortstop Gavin Cecchini then tripled home Biondi to tie the game up 2-2.

Things fell apart for the Power in the sixth inning in a series of miscues. After allowing a lead-off single to 2B L.J. Mazzilli, reliever Jerry Mulderig  set up disaster, yielding a wild pitch, a walk, and another wild pitch to put two runners in scoring position. Gnats runners then crossed the plate on a Stefan Sabol ground-out, a throwing error by West Virginia catcher and Pittsburgh Pirates 2013 first-rounder Reese McGuire, a Matt Oberste double, and then a Colton Plaia single. Clario Perez then took the mound to capture the final out, but instead served up a two-run home run to Cecchini.

After notching just eight extra base hits (all doubles) over 51 games with the 2013 Brooklyn Cyclones, Cecchini already has 11 extra-base hits through 29 games, including two triples and three home runs.

Savannah reliever Tyler Vanderheiden recorded the final seven outs to preserve the lead, striking out two while allowing just one hit.

West Virginia was just 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, while the opportunistic Gnats were 6-for-13. - team press release