Stevens and Company Make Hippies Night Memorable

ASHEVILLE- The Asheville Hippies took the field for their 2022 Thirsty Thursday appearance and absolutely crushed the Greenville Drive by a final score of 12-5. The Hippies hit a season-high five Home Runs, totaled a season-high 15 hits, and won their fifth straight game in the process.

Chad Stevens paced the Asheville offense with a 4-for-4 performance that included a pair of Home Runs and a pair of doubles. Stevens became the first Asheville player this season to record a four-hit game, and he stole a base to top it off.

There was plenty of offense to go around for the Hippies. After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first, Heitor Tokar retired the next 13 Drive hitters. That set the stage for Asheville’s bats to come alive. Stevens hit a solo Home Run in the third to tie the game. Luis Santana made it 2-1 with a solo shot of his own. Jordan Brewer capped the frame with a three-run Homer to left-centerfield.

The Hippies tacked on three more runs in the fourth. Santana hit an RBI single and Cristian Gonzalez drove in two with a single to center. The Drive managed to creep back into the contest with four runs in the fifth; however, that was as close as the visitors would come.

Santana plated a key run in the sixth with a sacrifice fly and back-to-back two-out doubles from Gonzalez and Michael Sandle put the Hippies in front 10-5. In the seventh, Asheville used two more solo Home Runs to finish off the Drive. Nerio Rodriguez hit one to straight-away centerfield and Stevens crushed his second longball of the game on a shot up the left field line.

Ryan Gusto made his Asheville debut and pitched three shutout innings from the bullpen. Kyle Gruller finished out the contest with a scoreless ninth inning. Both teams are back in action Friday night at 6:35pm ET from McCormick Field.