CarL1 Lynchburg Hillcats

Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes

Published on July 15, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release


WINSTON-SALEM DASH (10-10, 42-48) vs LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (6-14, 36-54)

July 15th, 2011 -- 7:05 PM

Calvin Falwell Field at Lynchburg City Stadium

RHP Cameron Bayne (7-4, 3.58) vs RHP Zeke Spruill (7-7, 3.17)

THE HILLCATS: Thursday, the 'Cats lost to the Winston-Salem Dash 6-3...Three home runs highlighted the contest...The Dash had two, a game-tying solo shot in the second for Kyle Colligan, and then Ian Gac hit his league leading 23rd of the season int he third inning to put the Dash up 3-1...Barrett Kleinknecht for Lynchburg went deep int he fifth to tie the game 3-3, but a three-run Winston-Salem rally in the seventh put the 'Cats away...The Hillcats currently sit in fourth place in the Northern Division at 6-14, 5.5 games back of the Potomac Nationals...

VS. WINSTON-SALEM: The Hillcats are 3-8 against the Dash this season...The home team is 7-4 this year...Lynchburg has lost the last five meetings in a row...Winston-Salem took the season series 16-4 against the Hillcats in 2010...However, the Hill-City has welcomed a new affiliate in the Atlanta Braves this year...Last season the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (2010 Braves Advance-A affiliate) nearly split the season series with the Dash taking nine games of 20...

SINKING FAST: Over the last nine games, the Hillcats have scored 29 runs, averaging 3.22 runs per game...However, 18 of those 29 runs came in just two of those games, and the 'Cats lost one of those two 11-10...Remove those two games and the Hillcats are averaging 1.57 runs per game over the other seven contests...They are 1-8 over their last nine after a respectable 5-6 start to the second half...At 6-14, the Hillcats have managed to get out to worse 20-game start to the second half than the first when they began 1-10...Since the break, Lynchburg has been held to three or less runs in 11 of 20 games...They have been shut out four times...Yet, they still rank second (.262) in team batting average only behind Myrtle Beach (.265) and lead the league in slugging (.403)...

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE: While Lynchburg may rank second in the league in hitting, 11 points higher than any other team besides the league leading Pelicans, their on-base percentage ranks fifth, leaving much to be desired....Last night the 'Cats drew just one walk...So far this season the Hillcats have taken 210 walks, which is 48 fewer walks than any other team...The lack of patience hasn't led to strikeouts however, as Lynchburg still boasts the second fewest strikeouts as well...

ARE YOU IN GOOD HANDS: Lynchburg's primary middle infield pair this season has been SS Andrelton Simmons and 2B Phil Gosselin...Simmons, who was thought to be one of the best, if not the best defensive player in the 2010 draft, but also highly sought after for his 98 mph heater...And Gosselin, who was primarily an outfielder in college...The duo got off to a rocky start on the field committing a combined 23 errors in April and May...Things have turned around dramatically with just seven miscues between the pair since the start of June, and none have been fielding (six throws and one missed catch)...

BEST OF THE BRAVOS: Eight members of the Hillcats are ranked amongst the top 30 prospects in the Braves organization according to Baseball America...That list includes C Christian Bethancourt (12), SS Andrelton Simmons (15), RHP David Hale (17), RHP Dimasther Delgado (18), OF Todd Cunningham (20), OF Adam Milligan (22), INF Joe Leonard (23) and 2B Phil Gosselin (25)...

HAVE IT YOUR WAY: INF Barrett Kleinknecht hit his third home run for the Hillcats last night...It was his first home run in 122 at-bats... After being called up from Low-A Rome May 10, BK left the yard twice in just his first week with the team...He also hit .370 over those first seven games...He wound up hitting .306 in the month of May with the 'Cats, but has seen his average dip to .252, after hitting .210 in June, and .200 so far in July...He's on an upswing at the moment however, currently on a four-game hitting streak...He's 5-for-14 with a home run, four RBI, and two runs scored during the streak..

THIS JUST IN: RHP Mark Lamm joined the Hillcats from Rookie-level Danville Wednesday...Lamm is the first 2011 draftee to reach the Advanced-A level for the Braves...Drafted in the sixth round this season out of Vanderbilt, Lamm made two appearances with Danville, hitting one batter and striking out four while allowing no hits, no walks, and no runs through two single inning outings...In his Carolina League debut Wednesday night, Lamm struck out the side in order, including the top two home run hitters in the league, All-Stars Ian Gac and Andy Wilkins...Lamm takes the roster spot of C Braeden Schlehuber, who was just called up to AA Mississippi...

TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER: RHP Cameron Bayne was drafted in the 13th round of the 2009 draft by the White Sox out of Concordia University...Spent 2010 in Low-A Kannapolis...Led the South Atlantic League in wins (12) and innings pitched (165)...Rejoining Winston-Salem after making three starts for AA Birmingham...Went 2-0 with a 3.50 ERA in those starts...Has made two starts against Lynchburg...Earned win May 8...Pitched five innings, giving up four runs on five hits and striking out six...Picked up win on May 25...Gave up four runs on four hits in five innings pitched...Currently 7-4 with a 3.58 ERA while pitching for Winston-Salem...

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