Baseball insiders often say that Historic Grayson Stadium is a pitcher’s ball park.
But someone forgot to tell Hickory second baseman Travis Demeritte.
The 19-year-old out of Winder-Barrow High in Statham went 3 for 5 with three runs scored and five RBIs — hitting a pair of home runs to give him 23 on the season as Hickory smoked the Sand Gnats 10-1 Thursday night.
Hickory took the lead in its first at bat. Evan Van Hoosier started the rally with a one-out single, and Zach Cone chased him home with a double to left. Jairo Beras delivered a two-out RBI single to center and the Crawdads took a 2-0 lead.
Demeritte knocked a solo shot over the wall in left for his 22nd home run of the year as Hickory took a 3-0 lead in the second inning.
The Gnats scored in the third when Yeixon Ruiz laid down a bunt single with two out. He stole second and scored on Champ Stuart’s single to left.
The Crawdads added a run in the fifth off Gnat starter Logan Taylor, who allowed a single, and walked two to load the bases for Kellin Deglan, who drew another walk to plate a run.
Hickory put the game away in the eighth inning as Joe Jackson got things going with a one-out double to center. Demeritte knocked an RBI single to center of Gnat reliever John Mincone. Errors by Savannah first baseman Dominic Smith and shortstop Ruiz on consecutive plays led to another run and Hickory scored three in the frame to take a 7-1 lead.
Hickory piled on three more runs in the top of the ninth, when Beras led off with a walk, and Jackson singled — setting up a three-run shot by Demeritte over the left-field wall once again.
Demeritte, who is hitting .235 with 58 RBIs, had committed to South Carolina while in high school, but he elected to turn pro after being selected in the first round of the 2013 draft with the 30th overall pick by the Texas Rangers.
Hickory starter Tyler Smith picked up his fifth win of the season. He went six innings, allowing three hits and one run, while fanning six. Ryne Slack recorded his fifth save with three innings of scoreless relief.
The four-game series continues tonight at 7:05 as the Gnats host the Crawdads.
Hickory ab r h bi Savannah ab r h bi
DeLeon ss 6 1 2 1 Ruiz ss 4 1 2 0
VnHoosier lf 3 1 2 0 Stuart
cf 4 0 1 1
Cone cf 3 1 1 1 Smith 1b 3 0 0 0
Deglan c 4 0 0 1 Oberste dh 3 0 0 0
Beras rf 4 1 1 1 Zapata
3b 4 0 0 0
Jackson dh 5 2 2 0 Cruzado rf 4 0 0 0
Demiritte 2b 5 3 3 5 Rivero 2b 4 0 1 0
Guzman 1b 5 1 0 0 Plaia c 3 0 0 0
Marte 3b 5 0 1 1 Sabol lf 2 0 0 0
Totals 40 10 12 10 Totals 31 1 4 1
Hickory 210 010 033 — 10
Savannah 001 000 000 — 1
E— Demiritte, Plaia. LOB—Savannah 6, Hickory 9. DP—Hickory 1, Savannah 1, 2B—Cone, Jackson. 3B—. HR—Demeritte 2 (23). SB—De Leon, Ruiz, Stuart 2, Rivero.
HICKORY IP H R ER BB SO
Smith W,5-3 6 3 1 1 2 6
Slack S,5 3 1 0 0 1 1
SAVANNAH IP H R ER BB SO
Taylor L,0-3 6 5 4 4 3 5
Mincone 1 1/3 4 3 1 0 0
Carnevale 1 2/3 3 3 3 2 1
WP—Slack. HBP—Cone(by Taylor). T—3:02. A—3,049.