preGame: North Division Series – Game Five

Tonight the Wingnuts play a decisive Game Five of the North Division Series against the Lincoln Saltdogs at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.  First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m.  The Wingnuts fell to the Saltdogs 3-1 in 11 innings in Game Four on Saturday.  The series is now tied at 2-2.

The Starters:

Wichita: RHP Will Savage (1-0, 2.57) In a winner take all Game Five, the Wingnuts go back to right-hander Will Savage who earned the win in Game One, allowing two runs in seven strong innings.  Savage went 5-7 in the regular season and finished with the fourth-best ERA in the league at 2.94.  Savage made his final start of the year last Tuesday vs. Lincoln, pitching nine full innings and allowing just one unearned run.  Savage made seven starts on the road during the regular season with a record of 1-5 and a 3.47 ERA.  Savage was 0-3 against Lincoln this year, despite an ERA of 3.20, with all three of the losses coming at Haymarket Park.  On June 23^rd at Sioux City, Savage pitched the first no-hitter in team history, and the second in league history.  After Sunday’s season finale, Savage was honored as the team’s 2009 Unsung Hero.  Savage allowed three or fewer earned runs in 15 of his 19 starts and worked into the sixth inning in 16 of them.  Savage was hurt by low run support this season, with the Wingnuts averaging 2.11 runs while Savage was in the game and 3.58 total runs in his starts.  Wichita averaged 5.71 runs in their other 77 games.  Savage and Derek Blacksher were the only Wingnuts’ starters who began the year with the team and did not miss a start.

Lincoln: RHP Jarrett Gardner (0-1, 6.75) Lincoln looks to right-handed ace Jarrett Gardner to win the series.  Gardner took the loss against Savage in Game One, allowing five runs on 13 hits in 6.2 IP.  Gardner was 10-4 with a 4.00 ERA in 20 regular season appearances, 19 of them starts.  Gardner last worked on Wednesday, taking a no-decision against the Wingnuts in which he allowed four runs in 6.2 IP.  Gardner tossed a no-hitter vs. El Paso just two nights after Will Savage threw his, and matches up against Savage to open the playoffs.  Gardner won his final four regular season decisions and six of his last seven.  The 28-year old was 6-3 with a 3.82 ERA in 10 appearances at Haymarket Park.  Gardner is the Saltdogs’ all-time leader in wins and has won double digit games three years in a row.  In a career that started in 2003, Gardner has walked more than two hitters just four times in 157 appearances, 126 of them starts.  Gardner was 1-0 with a 4.91 ERA against Wichita, including his lone relief appearance on July 3^rd.  Lifetime, Gardner is 2-1 against the Wingnuts in six outings with a 3.03 ERA in 38.2 IP.

The Lineups:

Wichita:

SS Josh Horn

CF Nick Blasi

LF Greg Porter

DH Dustan Mohr

1B Kelly Hunt

RF Steve Pearson

C Joe Muich

3B Michael Thompson

2B Brenan Herrera

Lincoln:

CF Josh Burrus

SS Albenis Machado

1B Phil Hawke

DH Argelis Nunez

RF Rafael Alvarez

C Shawn McGill

LF Gavin Dickey

2B Shea McFeely

3B Brandon Jones

How to catch it: Tonight’s game can be heard locally on 1410AM KGSO and worldwide at www.kgso.com

preGame: North Division Series – Game Four

Tonight the Wingnuts play Game Four of the North Division Series against the Lincoln Saltdogs at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.  The Wingnuts won Game Three 5-1 last night and lead the series 2-1.

The Starters:

Wichita: RHP Gabe Medina (8-5, 4.37) Medina went 8-5 with a 4.37 ERA in 19 starts.  Medina, working as a full-time starting pitcher for the first time in his career, pitched at least six full innings in 15 of his final 18 starts of the season.  From May 30^th-July 2^nd, a span of six starts, Medina allowed five or fewer hits in all of them, in which he went 5-0.  Medina struck out five or more batters 10 different times and walked three or fewer in 15 of his 19 starts.  Medina went 4-1 at home with a 4.96 ERA in eight starts and was 1-2 against the Saltdogs with a 4.35 ERA in five starts against Lincoln.  Medina’s final start came on August 26^th against the Saltdogs, allowing four runs in seven innings in a no-decision.

Lincoln: RHP Justin Knoff (1-1, 5.87) Knoff went 1-1 with a 5.87 ERA in five appearances for Lincoln after being acquired in a late-season trade with the CanAm League’s Sussex Skyhawks.  Knoff went 5-5 in 14 starts with Sussex before the trade, and allowed three or fewer earned runs in 12 of them.  His last outing with Lincoln came on the final day of the regular season, in which he allowed one run in five innings for the win in what proved to be a the clinching game for Lincoln in the second half race.  Four of Knoff’s five outings with Lincoln were on the road in which he went 1-1 with a 5.94 ERA.  Knoff faced the Wingnuts on August 25^th, allowing one run in 7.2 IP in a no-decision.

The Lineups:

Wichita:

SS Josh Horn

CF Nick Blasi

LF Greg Porter

DH Dustan Mohr

1B Kelly Hunt

RF Steve Pearson

C Joe Muich

3B Michael Thompson

2B Brenan Herrera

Lincoln:

CF Josh Burrus

SS Albenis Machado

1B Phil Hawke

DH Argelis Nunez

RF Rafael Alvarez

C Shawn McGill

LF Gavin Dickey

2B Shea McFeely

3B Brandon Jones

How to catch it: Tonight’s game can be heard locally on 1410AM KGSO and worldwide at www.kgso.com

preGame: North Division Series – Game Three

Tonight the Wingnuts play Game Three of the North Division Series against the Lincoln Saltdogs at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.  The Saltdogs defeated the Wingnuts 4-1 in Game Two to even up the series at 1-1.

The Starters:

Wichita: RHP Derek Blacksher (11-2, 3.38) Blacksher earned the league’s 2009 Right-Handed Pitcher of the Year award, going 11-2 with a 3.38 ERA.  Blacksher led the league in wins, finished seventh in ERA, and tied for fifth with 93 strikeouts.  Blacksher won his final six decisions and nine of his last 10.  His last start came on August 29^th, in a no-decision against Grand Prairie, allowing three earned runs in 6.2 IP.  Blacksher went 5-0 in 10 starts at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium, with a 3.39 ERA.  Blacksher was also 1-0 in three starts against the Saltdogs with an ERA of 3.38.  For the second straight year, Blacksher soaked up innings, working into the sixth in 18 of his final 19 starts and pitching six full innings or more in 17 of his last 19.  Blacksher issued three or fewer walks in 17 of 20 starts, and allowed three or fewer earned runs in 16 of 20.  Blacksher pitched in the postseason last year for the Frontier League’s Gateway Grizzlies.

Lincoln: RHP Tim Brown (5-1, 2.59) Brown went 5-1 with a 2.59 ERA during the regular season in 17 outings, 10 of them as a starter.  Brown was 4-0 as a starting pitcher with an ERA of 2.14.  His last regular season outing came on August 30^th in the Saltdogs’ division clinching win over Sioux Falls.  Brown worked three innings in relief, not allowing a run.  Brown was signed mid-season after finishing his college career in Kansas at Pittsburgh State University.  Brown faced the Wingnuts four times during the season, going 1-0 in four outings, two starts, with a 1.08 ERA.  Brown showed great control as a true rookie in 2009, issuing just 10 walks in 62.2 IP.  Brown allowed three or fewer earned runs in all seven of his starts.

The Lineups:

Wichita:

SS Josh Horn

CF Nick Blasi

LF Greg Porter

RF Dustan Mohr

DH Kelly Hunt

1B Steve Pearson

C Joe Muich

3B Michael Thompson

2B Brenan Herrera

Lincoln:

CF Josh Burrus

SS Albenis Machado

1B Phil Hawke

DH Argelis Nunez

RF Rafael Alvarez

C Shawn McGill

LF Gavin Dickey

2B Shea McFeely

3B Brandon Jones

How to catch it: Tonight’s game can be heard worldwide on the internet at www.sportsjuice.com

preGame: North Division Series – Game Two

Tonight the Wingnuts play Game Two of the North Division Series against the Lincoln Saltdogs at Haymarket Park.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.  The Wingnuts took Game One last night by a final score of 6-2.

The Starters:

Wichita: RHP Adam Cowart (8-5, 3.05) Cowart went 8-5 in the regular season with the fifth-best ERA in the league at 3.05.  Cowart was signed as a FA in late May after being released by the Giants organization.  Cowart’s final start came last Friday vs. Grand Prairie in which he tossed seven shutout innings to pick up the win.  Cowart was 3-3 in eight starts on the road with a 4.46 ERA.  The 26-year old went 1-1 in three starts against Lincoln, two of which came at Haymarket Park.  In his first four professional seasons, Cowart owns a record of 42-22.  Cowart allowed three or fewer runs in 12 of his 16 starts, while walking three or less in all of them and walking two or less in 15 of 16.  In fact, Cowart had 11 starts in which he walked one or zero hitters.  After joining the Wingnuts, Cowart never missed a turn in the rotation.

Lincoln: RHP Jim Paduch (7-5, 4.79) Paduch went 7-5 with a 4.79 ERA during the regular season, making 19 starts and five relief appearances.  Paduch finished third in the league, allowing 58 walks.  His final outing came on Saturday in a win at Sioux Falls, allowing four runs on seven hits in six innings of work.  Paduch was 3-2 in 11 outings at home with a 2.78 ERA, while going 4-3 with a 7.11 ERA on the road.  Paduch faced the Wingnuts six times in the regular season, going 3-0 with a 4.13 ERA, striking out 33 in 28.1 IP.  Lifetime, Paduch is 4-0 against the Wingnuts with a 3.03 ERA in eight appearances, four of the starts.  Prior to his last start against Wichita, in which he allowed seven runs in seven innings, Paduch had an ERA of 1.71 against Wichita.

The Lineups:

Wichita:

SS Josh Horn

CF Nick Blasi

LF Greg Porter

RF Dustan Mohr

DH Kelly Hunt

1B Steve Pearson

C Joe Muich

3B Michael Thompson

2B Brenan Herrera

Lincoln:

CF Josh Burrus

SS Albenis Machado

1B Phil Hawke

DH Argelis Nunez

RF Rafael Alvarez

C Shawn McGill

LF Gavin Dickey

2B Shea McFeely

3B Brandon Jones

How to catch it: Tonight’s game can be heard locally on 1410AM KGSO and worldwide at www.kgso.com

preGame: North Division Series – Game One

Tonight the Wingnuts play Game One of the 2009 North Division Series against the Lincoln Saltdogs at Haymarket Park.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

The Starters:

Wichita: RHP Will Savage (0-0, 0.00) The Wingnuts open the playoffs with right-hander Will Savage, who went 5-7 in the regular season and finished with the fourth-best ERA in the league at 2.94.  Savage made his final start of the year last Tuesday vs. Lincoln, pitching nine full innings and allowing just one unearned run.  Savage made seven starts on the road during the regular season with a record of 1-5 and a 3.47 ERA.  Savage was 0-3 against Lincoln this year, despite an ERA of 3.20, with all three of the losses coming at Haymarket Park.  On June 23^rd at Sioux City, Savage pitched the first no-hitter in team history, and the second in league history.  After Sunday’s season finale, Savage was honored as the team’s 2009 Unsung Hero.  Savage allowed three or fewer earned runs in 15 of his 19 starts and worked into the sixth inning in 16 of them.  Savage was hurt by low run support this season, with the Wingnuts averaging 2.11 runs while Savage was in the game and 3.58 total runs in his starts.  Wichita averaged 5.71 runs in their other 77 games.  Savage and Derek Blacksher were the only Wingnuts’ starters who began the year with the team and did not miss a start.

Lincoln: RHP Jarrett Gardner (0-0, 0.00) The Saltdogs send right-handed ace Jarrett Gardner to the mound who was 10-4 with a 4.00 ERA in 20 regular season appearances, 19 of them starts.  Gardner last worked on Wednesday, taking a no-decision against the Wingnuts in which he allowed four runs in 6.2 IP.  Gardner tossed a no-hitter vs. El Paso just two nights after Will Savage threw his, and matches up against Savage to open the playoffs.  Gardner won his final four regular season decisions and six of his last seven.  The 28-year old was 6-3 with a 3.82 ERA in 10 appearances at Haymarket Park.  Gardner is the Saltdogs’ all-time leader in wins and has won double digit games three years in a row.  In a career that started in 2003, Gardner has walked more than two hitters just four times in 157 appearances, 126 of them starts.  Gardner was 1-0 with a 4.91 ERA against Wichita, including his lone relief appearance on July 3^rd.  Lifetime, Gardner is 2-1 against the Wingnuts in six outings with a 3.03 ERA in 38.2 IP.

The Lineups:

Wichita:

SS Josh Horn

CF Nick Blasi

LF Greg Porter

RF Dustan Mohr

DH Kelly Hunt

1B Steve Pearson

C Joe Muich

3B Michael Thompson

2B Brenan Herrera

Lincoln:

CF Josh Burrus

SS Albenis Machado

1B Phil Hawke

DH Argelis Nunez

RF Rafael Alvarez

C Shawn McGill

LF Gavin Dickey

2B Shea McFeely

3B Brandon Jones

 

How to catch it: Tonight’s game can be heard locally on 1410AM KGSO and worldwide at www.kgso.com

preGame: Wingnuts vs. AirHogs – Game Three

Tonight the Wingnuts finish the 2009 regular season with the last of a three-game series against the Grand Prairie AirHogs.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.  The Wingnuts lost 5-4 to the AirHogs last night.

The Starters:

Wichita: LHP Brad Davis (8-6, 3.28) Davis allowed six runs, four earned, in his last start in seven innings in a loss at Sioux Falls.  Davis is 3-2 with a 3.41 ERA in six home starts and is expected to work three innings tonight before giving way to the bullpen.  Davis was named the league’s Left-Handed Pitcher of the Year on Friday.

Grand Prairie: LHP Cody Crowell (8-5, 5.54) Crowell allowed one run, unearned, in 7.1 IP in his last start, a no-decision against St. Paul.  Crowell is 6-1 with a 4.46 ERA on the road in 13 appearances.

The Lineups:

Wichita:

SS Josh Horn

CF Nick Blasi

LF Greg Porter

DH Dustan Mohr

1B Kelly Hunt

C Joe Muich

RF Steve Pearson

3B Michael Thompson

2B Brenan Herrera

Grand Prairie:

SS Joseph Spiers

2B Daniel Berg

3B Cesar Nicolas

1B Javier Brito

LF Chad Gabriel

RF Mike Conroy

C JB Tucker

DH Derek Nicholson

CF Drew Holder

How to catch it: Tonight’s game can be heard locally on 1410AM KGSO and worldwide at www.kgso.com

preGame: Wingnuts vs. AirHogs – Game Two

Tonight the Wingnuts play game two of a three-game series against the Grand Prairie AirHogs at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.  The Wingnuts beat the AirHogs 3-0 last night and have won five games in a row.

The Starters:

Wichita: RHP Derek Blacksher (11-2, 3.35) Blacksher took a no-decision in his last start, allowing four runs in six innings against Lincoln in an eventual win.  Blacksher is 5-0 with a 3.31 ERA in nine starts at home and was named the American Association Right-Handed Pitcher of the Year yesterday.

Grand Prairie: LHP Logan Williamson (9-5, 4.55) Williamson threw six shutout innings in a win over St. Paul in his last start and will be making his third start for Grand Prairie since coming over in a trade with Shreveport-Bossier.  Williamson was an All-Star for the South Divison.

The Lineups:

Wichita:

SS Josh Horn

CF Nick Blasi

LF Greg Porter

RF Dustan Mohr

DH Kelly Hunt

C Joe Muich

1B Steve Pearson

3B Michael Thompson

2B Brenan Herrera

Grand Prairie:

SS Joseph Spiers

2B Daniel Berg

3B Cesar Nicolas

RF Mike Conroy

1B Javier Brito

LF Chad Gabriel

DH Derek Nicholson

C JB Tucker

CF Drew Holder

 How to catch it: Tonight’s game can be heard locally on 1410AM KGSO and worldwide at www.kgso.com

preGame: Wingnuts vs. AirHogs – Game One

Tonight the Wingnuts open a three-game series against the Grand Prairie AirHogs at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.  The Wingnuts beat the Saltdogs 5-4 on Wednesday in 10 innings.

The Starters:

Wichita: RHP Adam Cowart (7-5, 3.28) Cowart picked up a win in his last start at Sioux Falls, allowing six runs in 5.1 IP.  Cowart is 4-2 with a 2.29 ERA at home in seven starts.

Grand Prairie: RHP Matt Green (7-5, 5.33) Green allowed one run in eight innings, striking out eight in his last start in a win at Sioux City.  Green leads the league with 100 strikeouts and is 3-3 with a 5.24 ERA on the road.

The Lineups:

Wichita:

SS Josh Horn

CF Nick Blasi

LF Greg Porter

RF Dustan Mohr

DH Kelly Hunt

1B Steve Pearson

C Joe Muich

3B Michael Thompson

2B Brenan Herrera

Grand Prairie:

SS Joseph Spiers

C Daniel Berg

3B Cesar Nicolas

CF Mike Conroy

1B Javier Brito

LF Chad Gabriel

2B Derek Nicholson

DH JB Tucker

RF Thomas Incaviglia

How to catch it: Tonight’s game can be heard locally on 1410AM KGSO and worldwide at www.kgso.com

preGame: Wingnuts vs. Saltdogs – Game Three

Tonight the Wingnuts finish a three-game series against the Lincoln Saltdogs at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.  The Wingnuts defeated the Saltdogs 3-2 in 12 innings last night on a wild pitch.

The Starters:

Wichita: RHP Gabe Medina (8-5, 4.33) Medina took a no-decision in his last start, allowing six runsm five earned, in 6.2 IP at Sioux Falls in an eventual win.  Medina is 4-1 with a 4.93 ERA in seven home starts and is 1-2 in four starts against the Saltdogs.

Lincoln: RHP Jarrett Gardner (10-4, 3.93) Gardner pitched eight shutout innings in his last start to earn a win over St. Paul.  Gardner is 4-1 with a 4.06 ERA in nine road starts and is 1-0 in two appearances against Wichita.

The Lineups:

Wichita:

SS Josh Horn

CF Nick Blasi

LF Greg Porter

RF Dustan Mohr

DH Kelly Hunt

1B Steve Pearson

3B Michael Thompson

C John Martin

2B Brenan Herrera

Lincoln:

 CF Josh Burrus

SS Albenis Machado

1B Phil Hawke

DH Argelis Nunez

RF Rafael Alvarez

C Shawn McGill

LF Gavin Dickey

2B Shea McFeely

3B Brandon Jones

How to catch it: Tonight’s game can be heard locally on 1410AM KGSO and worldwide at www.kgso.com

preGame: Wingnuts vs. Saltdogs – Game Two

Tonight the Wingnuts play game two of a three-game series against the Lincoln Saltdogs at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.  The Wingnuts beat the Saltdogs 9-8 in 11 innings last night.

The Starters:

Wichita: RHP Will Savage (5-7, 3.17) Savage took a no-decision against Sioux City in his last start, allowing three runs in 5.1 IP.  Savage is 4-2 with a 2.96 ERA in 11 home starts and is 0-3 in five appearances against the Saltdogs.  This will be Savage’s last regular season start and is slated to pitch game one of the playoffs.

Lincoln: RHP Justin Knoff (0-0, 8.71) Knoff allowed four runs in 6.1 IP to Grand Prairie in his last start, taking a no-decision.  Knoff came over in a trade with Sussex of the Can-Am League on August 20th.

The Lineups:

Wichita:

SS Josh Horn

CF Nick Blasi

LF Greg Porter

RF Dustan Mohr

DH Kelly Hunt

1B Steve Pearson

C Joe Muich

3B Michael Thompson

2B Brenan Herrera

Lincoln:

CF Josh Burrus

SS Albenis Machado

1B Phil Hawke

DH Argelis Nunez

RF Rafael Alvarez

C Shawn McGill

LF Gavin Dickey

2B Shea McFeely

3B Brandon Jones

How to catch it: Tonight’s game can be heard locally on 1410AM KGSO and worldwide at www.kgso.com