Gnats Game Notes: Friday, June 3 Vs. Kannapolis

Published on June 3, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release


Savannah Sand Gnats (29-24, 1st, Southern) vs. Kannapolis Intimidators (28-24, 3rd, Northern)

Game #54 -

Home Game #27 - Friday - 7:05 LHP Chase Huchingson (2-2, 2.40) vs. RHP Dexter Carter (0-1, 6.23)

Historic Grayson Stadium, Savannah, GA

Radio: News/Talk 630 and sandgnats.com

Tonight: The first place Gnats, SAL affiliate of the New York Mets, play game three of their four-game series tonight against the Kannapolis Intimidators, SAL affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. The Gnats are 4-1 on their current seven-game home stand and have won 10 of 12 games overall.

Last Night: The Intimidators scored seven runs in the fifth through eighth innings against the Gnats' bullpen for a 7-4 win. Three different Gnats, SS Robbie Shields, RF Cory Vaughn and 1B Sam Honeck had two hits.

Now Pitching: LHP Chase Huchingson is scheduled to make his sixth start and his 11th appearance as a Sand Gnat tonight. His ERA of 2.40 would be good enough for third in the SAL, except he is 1.1 innings shy of qualifying for the League leaderboard. In his last two starts, the left-hander has given up just one run on seven hits in 10 innings with 13 strikeouts against four walks. Huchingson pitched for the Kingsport Mets in the Appalachian League in 2010, going 0-1 with a 4.09 ERA in five games, including two starts. In 11 innings pitched, he gave up six runs, five earned, on nine hits and five walks while fanning 13. The Mets signed Huchingson as a non-drafted free agent out of the University of Central Arkansas in 2010. Huchingson was an outfielder and a pitcher for the UCA Bears. He hit .236 in 89 AB and on the mound, was 1-4 with an 8.36 ERA in 10 starts and 13 appearances overall, with 32 strikeouts in 42 innings. Huchingson began his collegiate career with two years at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. The Gnats are 4-1 when Huchingson starts and have supported him with 4.40 runs per game.

Standings Update: The Gnats lead the Greenville Drive and the Lexington Legends by 3.5 games for first place with 16 to play in the first half. Lexington beat West Virginia 3-1 yesterday, while the Drive lost 9-8 in 10 innings in Hagerstown.

Cory Crushing It: Cory Vaughn leads the Gnats in all three major rate categories: average (.333), on-base percentage (.457) and slugging percentage (.481) and stolen bases (8). He is seventh in the SAL in average, second in on-base percentage, fourth in walks (31) and tops in HBP (13).

Where the Homers Happen: The Gnats have hit 29 home runs in 27 games on the road this year and four in 26 games at home. Aderlin Rodriguez hit the Gnats' last home homer at home on April 23, 17 games ago. Vaughn hit the Gnats' last home run overall, May 26th in a 6-0 win in Augusta, seven games ago.

Strong Arms: The Gnats have the SAL's best ERA (3.18) and WHIP (1.23). After eight strikeouts last night, the Gnats are now alone in second in the League in strikeouts (459). Savannah is tied for having allowed the fourth-fewest walks (154) in the SAL. The Gnats are the only team in the top six in strikeouts who are also in the top five fewest walks allowed. Savannah has allowed three runs or fewer in 23 of their 29 wins in 2011 and have allowed five or fewer in every single one of their wins.

Hang with 'em Honeck: After going 2-4 with a double last night, Sam Honeck now has consecutive multi-hit games for the first time since April 17-18. He had seven multi-hit games in his first 11 games of 2011 when he hit safely in 10 of 11 games, then four multi-hit games in his next 35 games before multi-hit games in his last two.

Versus Kannapolis: This is the first and only series between the Gnats and Intimidators in 2011 and the only four games of the last 36 in the first half that the Gnats will play against a Northern Division opponent. The Gnats were 8-5 against Kannapolis in 2010, all at home.

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South Atlantic League Stories from June 3, 2011


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