By Khari Thompson, Savannah Morning News
HAMPTON, Va. — With his team fighting to stave off elimination Monday night, Peninsula Pilots manager Hank Morgan turned to his battery pair from Jacksonville University.
Rising sophomore Chris Gau got the start for the Pilots in a do-or die Game 2 of the Coastal Plain League championship series against the Savannah Bananas at War Memorial Stadium, and for a while he felt comfortable with his college catcher Franco Guardascione behind the plate.
Gau was on his way to a win, tossing seven no-hit innings before running out of gas in the eighth. Gau left after getting one out in the eighth and leaving two runners on base for reliever Brett Smith, who picked up the win.
“Chris Gau was absolutely incredible on the mound tonight,” Morgan said. “I think he deserved a bit of a better fate in terms of wins and losses, but I don’t think that’s what this team is about.”
The Pilots’ 4-3 win evens the series and forces a decisive Game 3 in Hampton at 7:05 p.m. today for the Petitt Cup, the reward for the champion of the collegiate summer league. The first-year Bananas had won the opener in the best-of-three series 8-4 on Sunday night at Grayson Stadium.
The Pilots have a shot at their third championship in four years. The Pilots last hoisted the Petitt Cup in 2014.
“I think it’s big,” Morgan said of the win. “The first two tests we got in the playoffs sharpened us a little bit, but they weren’t nearly as intense as this one. I think any time you’re pushed that hard and come away victorious, you come out of the fire a little stronger.”
In the eighth inning, Savannah’s Jeff Nellis hit a slow roller to shortstop, which Nick Eaton bobbled. The miscue loaded the bases for the Bananas, who tied the game at 3 with a three-run eighth inning.
Kyle McPherson (1-3) played hero for the Pilots, blasting an eighth-inning solo homer to reclaim the lead for good for the Pilots.
“I was just trying to hit something hard,” McPherson said. “I knew he was going to come after me with a fastball early and, thankfully, (Savannah pitcher Jesse Bogacz) left it up a little bit and I was able to put a nice swing on it.”
Michael Parmentier came on in the ninth to pick up the save.
The Pilots’ bats got off to a quick start, tagging Savannah starter Garrett Lovorn for three runs in the third inning. Lovorn settled down after that and did not give up another run. Bogacz took the loss, the first in four postseason games for the Bananas, winners of 12 of their last 14 games overall.
It was a sluggish night at the plate for the Pilots. Nick Walker and Kurt Sinnen were a combined 0 for 6 at the plate, but each knocked in a run on sacrifices. The Pilots mustered six hits on the night, two of which came from Joe Poduslenko, who was 2 for 3.
Chris Oschenfeld was ejected in the seventh inning after arguing with the umpires over a questionable slide from Savannah’s Clint Hardy into second base. The Pilots thought Hardy went too far trying to take out shortstop Nick Eaton on a double-play attempt.
“We’re feeling great,” McPherson said. “We’ve got a lot of good pitchers left and our offense has the momentum right now, so we have a lot of confidence going into tomorrow.”