John Gant P.O.W.

For the second time this season, the South Atlantic League is honoring  John Michael Gant after a stellar Sunday pitching performance. This time, Gant threw a gem against the Hickory Crawdads yesterday, Sunday, August 3, to earn South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week.

Gant was perfect through six full innings on 61 pitches Sunday. He retired the first two batters of the seventh, before walking Hickory right-fielder Nomar Mazara. His no-hitter lasted two more batters until the left-fielder's infield single to the hole between short and third. “No-hitters are out, one-hitters are in," Gant told MiLB.com with a laugh. "They're what's popular right now. Everybody wants a one-hitter, nobody wants a no-hitter."

He finished the seventh without allowing a run with seven strikeouts against two walks and one hit allowed.

"I would say overall it wasn't too bad," Gant said. "It was a lot of fun. It got hot toward the end of it and I was sweating, but it was fun.”

It was the second time in three starts in which he has taken a no-hitter into the sixth inning. He had a no-hitter through 5.1 innings in his July 19 start against Lexington that earned him his first SAL Pitcher of the Week nod.

Gnat now holds a 10-5 record and his ERA has fallen to 2.55 ERA (third lowest in the league). "I have a good staff taking care of me. A good trainer and good strength coach pushing me to excel and keep my body in shape. That has a lot to do with having success over a long season," Gant said.

Gant was born in Savannah, Ga., and even after moving to Wesley Chapel, Fla., at the age of 11, he spent many summers in Savannah visiting his family and enjoying the low country marsh.

Ty Ross of the Augusta GreenJackets was also named Player of the Week, hitting .455 with three home runs over his six-game span.