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The Sand Gnats offense has been just AWFUL and things aren’t going to get any better after today.  Leadoff hitter Darrell Ceciliani was forced to leave the game due to a leg injury.  An update on his injury has not been released yet, hopefully it is not serious.  I am not going to pretend to know anything about Chase Huchingson or what he throws, but he did a very nice job in long relief striking out five in 4.1 innings and giving up just 2 hits.  He was the only effective pitcher on the night.

Stars of the Game: Chase Huchingson (3pts)  2.  Alonzo Harris (2pts)  3. Javier Rodriguez (6pts)

Boxscore

Not quiet the debut the Mets were hoping for from Erik Goeddel one of the few overslot draft picks in recent years.  Goeddel had been relieving at UCLA and dealing with arm injuries so the transition may be slow, but he definitely has the stuff to succeed and showed glimpses of that tonight despite getting hit around with the 4 k’s and ground balls he generated.  The offense did next to nothing mustering up only 3 its.  The Gnats offense has struggled greatly out of the gates failing to get anything going no matter who the pitcher is. One of the only hits tonight was a homerun from Javier Rodriguez(pictured) who has shown so far the power numbers in Kingsport weren’t a fluke.

Stars of the Game:  1. Javier Rodriguez (3pts)  2. Darrell Ceciliani (2pts)  3. Wilfredo Tovar (1pt)

Boxscore

A much more competitive game, but just as power of performance from the offense.  The offense got just one runner into scoring position in the 4th inning when Robbie Shields walked and Cory Vaughn singled to get him to second.  Sam Honeck grounded out to advance both runners, but that was the closest they would come to getting a runner across the plate.  In five of the seven innings the Sand Gants went 1-2-3 and fifteen of the 21 outs in the game were recorded on the ground.  They were simply dominated and could not get anything going.

Yohan Almonte(pictured) pitched very well in his first above rookie ball.  He got a “complete game” giving up 2 runs in 6 innings of work.  Almonte had one hiccup in the 5th inning in which he allowed two singled to start the game and then proceeded to balk both batters over.  He threw a wild pitch to allow one of the runners to score and the other one would later come in to score on a single.  Outside of the 5th inning Almonte allowed just 2 baserunners.

Players of the Game: 1. Yohan Almonte (3pts) 2. Cory Vaughn (2pts) 3. Wilfredo Tovar (1pt)

Courtesy of UT Sports

Boxscore

The Sand Gnats got shelled n the first game of the double header.  Starting pitcher Ryan Fraser had to leave the game in the 4th inning when a comeback liner hit him in the arm forcing him to leave the game. Guillaume Leduc came in to relieve him and was pitiful.  Leduc allowed both inherited runners to score as well as 5 of his own never making it out of the inning.  The inning included 2 wild pitches and a hit batsman by Leduc and a stretch with 4 consecutive hits.

Another struggling offense in the Mets system.  The whole offense came in the second inning with back-to-back doubles by Javier Rodriguez and Blake Forsythe(pictured).  They had more chances to score, but went just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring chance.

Players of the Game: 1. Blake Forsythe (3pts) 2. Javier Rodriguez (2pts) 1. Darrell Ceciliani (4pts)

Darrell Ceciliani (Steve Solomonson)

Boxscore

A great all-around performance from the Gnats who on paper have the best team they have had in years.  Reading Mike Newman’s Scouting the Sally will be that much better with quality and depth on the team this year so stay tuned to his blog.

The tandem of Darrell Ceciliani and Cory Vaughn picked right up where they left off in Brooklyn.  Ceciliani was locked in with his power stroke early on in the game hitting a double and 2-run homerun in the first two innings.  Vaughn drove in two runs on two singled and reached base a third time by drawing a walk, still showing more advanced patients than scouts predicted from him.  The only players without a hit were Albert Cordero and Wilfredo Tovar.

Greg Peavey might turn in a season for the Gnats similar to Mark Cohoon‘s legendary last season if this first start was any indication of what’s in store.  Considered more of a polished product in college he still has very good stuff and demonstrated both showing no nerves in his first professional appearance.  He allowed just three base runners on two hits and walk.  Peavey struckout the first five batters he faced in his career and eight overall. Six of the struckouts were swinging strikeouts.  He knows how to miss bats.

Stars of the Game:  1. Darrell Ceciliani (3 pts)   2. Greg Peavey  (2 pts)   3. Cory Vaughn (1 pt)