SAL1 Greenville Drive

Drive Cruise to 11-4 Victory in Regular Season Finale

Published on September 5, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release


Hickory, NC - No team maybe hotter than the Drive (78-62, 40-30) as the South Atlantic League regular season came to an end on Sunday. Following a 18-hit, 10-run output on Saturday night, Greenville backed that performance up in their final regular season contest with 15 more hits, en route to an 11-4 victory over the Hickory Crawdads (79-58, 39-30).

As they did yesterday, the Drive wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard, doing so in their first at bat on Sunday. Felix Sanchez, Matty Johnson and Sean Coyle all led off the top of the first with consecutive singles, with Coyle knocking in Sanchez. Drew Hedman's sacrifice fly put Greenville on top 2-0.

Two innings later, Coyle put the Drive up by five runs with the first of his two three-run homers. James Kang and Sanchez, both of whom finished with three hits apiece, began the frame with singles and after Johnson grounded out, Coyle lifted a 1-2 offering from Nick Tepesch to deep left field.

It wasn't until the bottom of the third that the Crawdads crossed the plate for the first time off of Miguel Celestino (10-6), but by then it was way too late. The right-hander became the seventh 10-game winner in franchise history, scattering nine hits over 5.0 innings while allowing three runs - two earned - and striking out three.

In the top of the fourth, the Drive tacked on five more runs as all nine batters stepped into the batter's box at LP Frans Stadium. David Renfroe reached base on an error to start the inning, and after Carson Blair drew a walk, Kang singled to load the bases. Sanchez brought in a pair of runs with a single of his own.

A batter later, Coyle continued his career-game, lifting a first pitch fastball from Tepesch to leftfield for his second three-run blast. Renfroe accounted for Greenville's final run in the offensive barrage in the top of the fifth with a solo homer of his own.

Tyler Wilson pitched the final 4.0 innings, picking up the save in mop-up duty with the victory well in hand. The right-hander surrendered a run on five hits and a walk, while striking out four.

Following an Augusta GreenJackets victory over the Rome Braves, as well as a Savannah Sand Gnats loss in Game 1 of their doubleheader with the Lexington Legends, the Drive will have to wait a few more hours to see if they'll be heading to the South Atlantic League playoffs for the third straight season.

The Drive entered Sunday with their "Magic Number" at 1, meaning they needed either a GreenJackets loss or the Sand Gnats to win one of their contests in the twinbill. Should the Sand Gnats be swept in the doubleheader, Augusta will barely advance to the playoffs due to a slightly higher winning percentage than Savannah in the second half.

Should Savannah win the nightcap, the Drive will advance to the postseason as the Southern Division's Wild Card.

GAME NOTES: The 78-62 overall record by the Drive in 2011 is a new franchise record...Billy McMillon led the Drive to a franchise-best 77-63 during his managerial debut in 2010

Check out the Greenville Drive Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from September 5, 2011


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