Manager Ryan Ellis Inducted Into Point Park University Hall of Fame

Savannah, GA - Savannah Sand Gnats Manager Ryan Ellis was officially inducted into the Point Park University Pioneer Hall of Fame on Sunday, October 9 in a ceremony on the Point Park Campus. Ellis was a two-time NAIA Honorable Mention All-American in baseball in 1998 and 1999 and an NAIA All-Northeast Region defender in men's soccer in 1997.

"It's really emotional for me," Ellis told the crowd at his induction, "I've been through a lot, personally, professionally. I've had a lot of people in my corner and without those people I wouldn't be here today."

Ellis enjoyed a very decorated 2011 in his first year as the manager of the Savannah Sand Gnats. He was named the South Atlantic League Manager of the Year, and Baseball America's Best Manager Prospect for the South Atlantic League. Under his guidance, the Gnats won the first half Southern Division Championship for the second straight year, and beat the Augusta GreenJackets two games to one in the first round of the SAL playoffs to capture the Southern Division Championship. The Gnats' regular season record of 79-60 was the best for the Savannah franchise since the 1994 Savannah Cardinals finished 82-55. Ellis served as the hitting coach for the Savannah Sand Gnats in 2009 and 2010.

A native of Munhall, PA, Ellis still holds the Point Park record for highest single-season batting average when he hit .477 in 1999. He is fourth in school history with a .405 career batting average and ranks second in school history in home runs (27) and triples (21). Ellis also helped lead Point Park to the 1998 NAIA World Series, the 10th in school history.

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THE 2012 OPENING NIGHT
The 2011 Southern Division Champion Sand Gnats will open the 2012 season at home at Historic Grayson Stadium against the Augusta GreenJackets on Thursday night, April 5th, 2012. For Season Seat information, please call (912) 351-9150. Single game tickets will go on sale in March, 2012.

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ABOUT THE SAVANNAH SAND GNATS
The Savannah Sand Gnats, the Class-A affiliate of the New York Mets, is a professional minor league baseball team and a member of the South Atlantic League. Savannah plays its home games at Historic Grayson Stadium in Savannah, GA, just minutes from downtown Savannah. Historic Grayson Stadium is situated within Savannah's Daffin Park, creating a unique atmosphere and a "Park within a Park" setting.

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