Hoppers Beat Gnats 7-3 Saturday to Claim SAL Title

SAVANNAH, GA - The Savannah Sand Gnats came within one strike of the South Atlantic League Championship Friday night, but by Saturday night, it was the Greensboro Grasshoppers who celebrated the South Atlantic League crown with a 7-3 win over the Gnats in game five of the SAL Championship Series. The title is the first for Greensboro since the Greensboro Hornets won three straight South Atlantic League titles from 1980 through 1982.

The Gnats took a 2-0 lead Saturday with a two-run bottom of the third. After second baseman Juan Gamboa walked, leftfielder Alonzo Harris ripped a double down the left field line to drive home Gamboa with the game's first run. Harris scored two pitches later on centerfielder Darrell Ceciliani's single into right field for a 2-0 lead.

However, the Grasshoppers took control of the game with a five run top of the fourth inning in which all of the damage occurred with two outs. Savannah starter Angel Cuan began the inning by retiring the first two batters he faced. After a single, centerfielder Isaac Galloway tripled off the base of the centerfield wall to cut the Gnats' advantage to 2-1. Second baseman Noah Perio, whose single to left tied up the game in the ninth inning Friday, smacked a nearly identical hit to left in the fourth inning Saturday to even the game at 2-2. Greensboro rightfielder Marcel Ozuna then ripped a double up the left-center field gap to score Perio to put the Hoppers in front for good. Greensboro tacked on two more unearned runs, chasing Cuan, who was charged with the loss, from the game.

The Grasshoppers scored twice, on an Ozuna single to right field in the fifth, off reliever Adam Kolarek to build a 7-2 lead.

Greensboro starter Kyle Winters held the Gants to three runs on five hits in 6.2 innings for the win. Greensboro out-hit Savannah 16-6 Saturday.

The Gnats scored their final run of the season to make the score 7-3 in the bottom of the seventh, when Harris tripled and scored on a 'Hoppers error. Harris was 2-3 with a double, a triple and two runs scored Saturday.

The 2011 Sand Gnats accomplishments included winning the Southern Division Championship and capturing the first half championship in the SAL Southern Division for the second straight year.

For the latest news on the Sand Gnats all year long, including the release of the 2012 schedule, please visit sandgnats.com.