Fitzgerald, Griffons slip past El Dorado Broncos in two games

Griffons catcher Daniel Dellasega tags out El Dorado Broncos Heath Wall at home in the ninth, during Sunday's 4-3 win over the Broncos. [Click to enlarge]

"I don't remember ever seeing an in-the-park, walk-off home run like that before," Griffons head coach John Hill III said after Tommy Fitzgerald scored the winning run with a line drive to left center field that neither the Broncos shortstop, nor the left fielder could stop from rolling to the outfield fence, letting Fitzgerald cross the plate standing up.

The 4-3 win Sunday followed an 8-6 win Saturday to give the Griffons an 8-4 record in Jayhawk League play and 12-4 overall, putting them in second place, 1/2 game behind the Hays Larks.

Fitzgerald's trip to the plate in the ninth followed catcher Daniel Dellasega tagging out a Broncos runner five feet from home and third baseman Trevor Geist catching a ball hit to third base and throwing to first for a double play, stopping the Broncos from taking the lead in the top of the ninth.

The Griffons start a seven game road trip tonight with three games against the Dodge City A's, followed by a three game series with the Liberal BJ's. On July 1 they play in Joplin.

The Griffons beat the A's 4-3, 2-1 and 7-4 and the Larks 7-3 when they played at Lyons Stadium earlier in June. They are 2-0 against the Joplin Slashers, having won 8-1 and 5-2.

Hill said that he is planning to start Harrison Walker on the mound tonight, with Thomas Rooke on Wednesday and Mike Robinson on Thursday.

"I feel very good with these pitchers," Hill said.

"Harrison is outstanding. He's one of the best starters we've had," he said.

Hill said that he hopes the wins against the Broncos will give them momentum to get the road trip off to a good start.

The Griffons' next home game will be July 2 against the Ozark Generals.