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Nevada's Stahl proving to be more than just local flavor
By Joe Warren
Nevada Herald
Usually when a team like the Nevada Griffons picks up a local kid they do it with tongue in cheek.
Sure that player might be able to play at the level necessary to compete in the tough Jayhawk League, but more often then not the move is designed as a marketing tool to provide a local link to the community, hopefully boosting interest and attendance.
That is why when it was announced that the Griffons would have three players on the team this season that had previously lived in the community, many were skeptical as to how much playing time the "token locals" would get.
The three locals were Luke Stahl, Trent Thompson and Craig Cameron.
Stahl and Thompson were recent graduates of Nevada High School, having played at Lyons Stadium for the Tigers just a couple seasons ago.
Cameron grew up in Nevada until his family moved to Iowa just before he started playing high school ball, but his family had hosted Griffons' players in the past (remember Mark Teahen?) so his connection to the community was just as strong.
At the beginning of the season, Stahl and Cameron struggled. Thompson came out of the gates hitting the cover off the ball as a backup infielder and pinch-hitter, providing clutch hits in many of the early games.
Less than two weeks into the season Thompson broke a bone in his foot and he was lost for the season. That left Stahl and Cameron as the only local connection capable of stepping onto the field.
Cameron had a rough first few outings, playing behind the plate. That prompted the Griffons' brass to bring in a couple new backstops, which severely cut into Cameron's playing time.
While there was little doubt Cameron has more talent then was shown on the field, the Griffons were unable to let him play through his struggles and he eventually felt it was better to leave the team.
That left a trio of local yokels trimmed down to one -- Stahl.
The 6-3, 181-pound left hander was hit pretty hard during his first few appearances. This left him destined for mop-up duty and as a possible late season cut if the Griffons were to make an NBC World Series run.
Stahl did not let his early struggles get him down though. He worked vigilantly with Griffons' pitching coach Brad Stroud, and made a few adjustments.
Recently, those adjustments started to pay off.
In the championship game of the NBC World Series qualifying tournament at Champion Diamonds Monday, Stahl was brought in to start the fourth inning, with his team already trailing 8-3.
Stahl's job was simple -- keep the score from getting out of hand and give the Griffons an opportunity to chip away.
Stahl's performance was more than mop-up. More accurately, he mopped up the plate with a fastball touching 88 mph, keeping a powerful Parkville Sluggers offense in check to the tune of one hit in five innings. Throw in seven strikeouts, and it is safe to say Stahl dominated a lineup that had gotten the better of University of Nebraska products Mike Harmelink and Matt Foust, along with fellow Griffons' reliever Nathan Rowe.
The Griffons wound up losing the game 8-4, but Nevada coach John Hill III was impressed with Stahl's performance.
"We just needed from everyone what we got from Luke Stahl," Hill said.
Stahl said it was nice to do well in an extended performance (five innings) that was longer than any he's had since he started for the Tigers.
"That's the most I've thrown in more than a year," Stahl said. "I felt strong. I've been running a lot. lifting (weights) a lot. It was definitely my strongest outing."
He said it felt good to see hard work paying off.
"Coach Stroud has been working with me a lot," he said. "We've worked a lot on the mental aspects of the game."
Stahl has now thrown 14 2/3 innings this season, spread over eight appearances. He has an ERA of 4.91, but since giving up three earned runs in one inning in his first appearance on June 5, Stahl's ERA has been 3.29.
What's even more impressive is that Stahl has not been overmatched by any means. In fact, Stahl might be the one who you could consider overpowering. His ratio of 9.82 strikeouts per nine innings pitched is second on the team to Chris Klick's 11.00.
While others might think a performance like Monday's makes Stahl more of a legitimate member of the team, he doesn't feel that way.
"I don't think there were stripes to earn," Stahl said. "I just need to throw my game when I get my opportunities."
Stahl has not been concerned with his role either. He knows that more outings like Monday's will lead to more opportunities in tight situations.
"I'm one of the younger guys," he said. "I know I have to work my way up. I know I struggled at the beginning of the year."
Stahl also gave credit to his teammates for the jobs they have been doing in tough situations.
"Everybody else is throwing well too," he said. "I can't expect to get more opportunities than them."
As for playing in front of his home fans, Stahl has no problem with being nervous.
"At first it was weird," Stahl said. "I've kind of settled down now and fallen into a groove. You learn to tone that stuff out."
Griffons' fans aren't toning anything out. They get to see a local product play well past his high school years. And he's proving to belong.