USA – Scott Barnes tossed one-hit ball for seven innings and the Augusta GreenJackets finished off a two-game sweep against the Asheville Tourists on Friday night with a 4-2 win in South Atlantic League (SAL) playoff action.

Barnes (1-0) matched a career-high of seven innings while striking out seven and walking three. The GreenJackets will be returning to the SAL Championship Series for the first time since 2006.

Andrew Davis delivered a bases-loaded, two-run single off the 42-foot high right-field wall in the fourth to snap a scoreless tie. Garrett Baker crossed the plate on a wild pitch later in the same inning to stretch the lead to 3-0.

Augusta padded the score when Nick Noonan led off the eighth with a solo home run.

Asheville cut the lead in half when Greenjackets’ shortstop Juan Ciriaco booted a groundball allowing a run to score before Michael Mitchell’s run-scoring single made things interesting. However, closer Andrew De La Garza recorded his second save in the playoffs retiring all four batters he faced.

The GreenJackets, which have won three SAL Championships but none since 1999, will meet the winner of the West Virginia Power/Lake County Captains series. The GreenJackets will host Game 1 and Game 2 of the Championship Series on Monday September 8 and Tuesday September 9 in Augusta, GA.

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Tags: USA