Menu
Griffons nab first sweep of the season
By Joe Warren
Nevada Daily Mail
NEVADA, Mo. -- A two-run homer by Tony Lewis sparked a five-run sixth inning as the Nevada Griffons swept the Derby Twins in a Jayhawk League doubleheader Sunday, 10-4 and 8-3.
Lewis took an 0-1 change up and blasted it over the right-field fence to break a 3-3 tie in the second game, as the Griffons secured their first doubleheader sweep of the season.
It was the third home run of the summer for the left-handed hitting infielder from Missouri State. The longball also helped Nevada overcome four errors in the second game.
"(Derby starter Eric Smith) had been throwing me off-speed all night," Lewis said. "I went up there expecting to see a change up and he left it a little too far inside. I've got to take advantage of all the inside pitches I can get."
Lewis' homer came an inning after Derby had tied the game at three with two runs off Nevada starter Lendsey Thomson.
"We had just lost momentum," Nevada head coach John Hill III said. "That (the homer) kind of picked us up."
The Griffons went on to send 11 batters to the plate in the sixth, also getting a two-run double by fill-in starter Jeff Deao, who was only playing with the Griffons because they were shorthanded thanks to injuries, a suspension and a family reunion.
Deao, who plays college ball at Pittsburg State, played in both games of the doubleheader in center field and went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two stolen bases.
Hill said a job commitment is keeping Deao from staying with the Griffons but that his talent is immense.
"He was the best athlete on the field (Sunday)," Hill said.
Deao was only with the team because Shawn Taylor was at a family reunion in Kansas and Josh Barnett aggravated a hamstring injury in Joplin Saturday night when the Griffons played Team USA.
That left Nevada with only two outfielders for Sunday's league games.
Matt Wulfers had a good second game of the doubleheader, going 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. Wulfers' sacrifice fly scored the fifth and final run in the sixth and he also had a run-scoring single in the third inning.
Aided by a pair of Derby errors the Griffons scored three in the third to take a 3-1 lead.
Derby scored once in the second and twice in the fifth inning for their runs.
A.J. Morris (3-0) pitched 2 1/3 innings of relief to get the victory.
Nevada took advantage of five Derby errors in the first game, a 10-4 win.
Two errors and two hits gave the Griffons a pair of runs in the first inning after Derby had taken a 1-0 lead in the top half. Wulfers and Lewis each had RBI singles in the frame, and Deao drew a walk and scored.
Nevada scored three times in the second with T.J. Prentice getting his first RBI of the season on a single to score newly acquired Brandon Sears. Kyle Mach also had a big hit in the inning, scoring two on a single of his own.
The Griffons added an unearned run in the third as Deao reached on an error, stole second and scored on a single by Wulfers.
After Derby made it 6-3 with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth, an RBI single by Kenny Price made it 7-3 in the bottom of the inning.
Nevada's last runs came on a bases loaded double by Scott Dunwoody, driving in all three in the fifth inning for a 10-3 lead.
A solo homer by Ryan Asato gave the Twins their final run in the twin bill opener.
Brant Combs (2-1) threw 3 1/3 innings of relief for the win in the first game.
The Griffons improved to 17-25 overall and 9-22 in the league. The Twins are now 19-21, 15-16.
The sweep came on the heels of a 3-0 loss to Team USA in Joplin on Saturday. Playing against a team of college all-stars, the Griffons struggled to hit the ball, managing only four the entire game.
Team USA scored three runs in the second inning, but only managed three hits the rest of the game.
Dusty Renfrow threw seven innings for the Griffons, allowing five hits and two earned runs, walking three and striking out four.
Notes: After struggling to hit most of the season (.254 team batting average), the Griffons had 22 hits in 12 innings during Sunday's doubleheader, 11 each game. ... Sears was the DH the first game and caught the second game. He takes the roster spot left open when Daniel Dellasega separated his shoulder and was lost for the summer. ... The Griffons play at Newton against the Rebels in a non-league game tonight, then return home tomorrow for another non-league game against the Ozark Generals. ... Taylor will be back with the team today. ... Also back with the team is shortstop Eli Rumler, who missed three weeks with a separated shoulder. Rumler played Saturday but sat out Sunday for precautionary reasons. ... Barnett is day-to-day. ... Ellrich was unavailable both Saturday and Sunday after being suspended for violating team rules. He could be reinstated today. ... Barnett's injury running out a ground ball Saturday left Nevada with only eight available position players on the roster and Thomson, a pitcher, had to bat as the DH the final two times through the order.