Griffons drop two-straight

Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Ralph Pokorny/Daily Mail Matt Burns is safe at third on a steal in the third inning of Sunday night's game with the St. Joseph Mustangs.

By Jason Peake

Daily Mail Sports Editor

NEVADA -- An early four-run cushion was not enough for the Nevada Griffons.

Visiting St. Joseph rallied from an early deficit for a 10-4 victory over the Griffons on a warm Sunday night at Lyons Stadium.

The Griffons led 4-0 in the fourth inning, but the Mustangs scored 10 unanswered runs in the game, which featured the MINK League's top team from the South and the top team from the North.

While the Mustangs got going after a slow start, the Griffons' bats went silent after some early production.

In fact, the Griffons have hit a rough patch of late, dropping four of their last five. The team's lead in the South is now down to one and a half games over Sedalia. Nevada now sits at 14-9 in the league.

On Sunday, the Griffons broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third against St. Joseph right-hander Aaron Baker. Matt Burns started things off by hitting a double to left. After Jesse Solar's bloop single, Stu Jeck laid down a sac bunt. On the play, the throw to third got away from St. Joe's Shane Segovia and Burns scored.

After Tyler Palmer's bunt moved the runners over, Rick Hepworth hit a sac fly to deep center, giving the Griffons a 2-0 lead. Nevada wasn't done. AJ Krist then hit an RBI double to right-center, making it 3-0.

The Mustangs stranded the bases loaded in the fourth, as Griffons starting pitcher Kody McFarland worked out of trouble by forcing Jordan Hurtt to ground out to end the threat. The hosts then added a tally in the bottom half. Eric Sousanes split the gap in left-center for a double. He went to third on a bunt by Burns. Solar's infield chopper scored Sousanes for a 4-0 lead.

The lead wouldn't last, though.

McFarland struggled with his control in the fifth. He hit two and walked one. St. Joe received an RBI double from Kyle Simpson in the frame to get the Mustangs on the board. Kris Koerper came to the plate with the bases loaded. Koerper then cleared them all with a three-run double to the corner in left, tying the game at four. Segovia then hit a sac fly to push St. Joe in front, 5-4.

St. Joe's Simpson hit an RBI single in the sixth against left-handed relief pitcher Zach Barr to give the Mustangs a 6-4 lead. Later in the inning, Jordan Guida lined a two-run double to right for an 8-4 advantage for the Mustangs.

Nevada's bats were mostly quiet in the later innings. The Mustangs added an insurance run in the eighth. Maxime Lefevre walked, stole second and went to third on a ground out. Lefevre then stole home for a 9-4 lead.

Jake Kretzer's RBI single plated St. Joe's final run, coming in the top of the ninth against Parker McDaniel.

Baker earned the win on the mound. He allowed three earned runs in eight innings for the Mustangs, who improved to 11-7 in the league. McFarland took the loss. He allowed four earned runs in five innings, striking out five. Nevada pitchers struck out 11 in the loss. But the Griffons had just eight hits in the game, and only one after the fifth inning. Sousanes and Solar had two hits apiece for the Griffons.

The Griffons will host a doubleheader with the Clarinda A's tonight. Game one starts at 6 p.m. It will be Heartland Behavioral Health Services Night. There will be free admission at the ballpark and inflatables for the kids.

Former Griffon Josh Malin was recognized for last year's all-american honors from the NBC World Series. Malin, who spent two summers with the Griffons, was also the Pitcher of the Year award winner from last summer's NBC World Series, where the Griffons took third place. Griffons General Manager Jeff Post presented Malin with his awards before the seventh inning Sunday.

Joplin tops Nevada Saturday

JOPLIN -- Two early runs were all Joplin needed, as the Outlaws defeated the Nevada Griffons 2-1 on Saturday night at Joplin Sports Complex.

The Outlaws scored twice in the second inning against Nevada starter Tommy Bush. With one out, Taylor Eaves singled.

Kyle Dickens then hit an RBI double for a 1-0 lead. Dickens advanced to third on Conner Smith's fly out. Next, Jimmy Obermark hit an RBI single, scoring Dickens and giving the Outlaws a 2-0 lead.

Joplin would not score again. But they didn't need to. The Griffons' only run of the game came in the fifth. With one out, Josh Samuelson singled. After Brad Wilson was retired, Colton Besett was hit by a pitch. Jeck walked to load the bases. Next, Sousanes drew a walk to score Samuelson, making it 2-1. But the Griffons would not score again the rest of the way and the Outlaws got the win.

Bush took the loss, but threw well in defeat. He went five-and two-thirds, allowing seven hits and two earned runs. He struck out six and walked just two.

Matt Minnich and Nick Ford pitched in relief and neither allowed a run.

Joplin starting pitcher Griffen Glaude was stellar on the mound. He allowed just two hits in six innings. Glaude struck out four and walked three. Joplin's Ethan Mather was also impressive in three innings of work, striking out seven in earning the save.

Taylor Eaves had three hits for Joplin.

Sunday's result

Griffons, Mustangs

ST 000 053 011 -- 10 9 2

NE 003 100 000 -- 4 8 1

WP: Baker. LP: McFarland.

Griffons leaders

2B: Krist, Sousanes, Burns. RBI: Solar, Palmer, Hepworth, Krist. LOB: 11.

Griffons pitching

McFarland--5IP, 4H, 4ER, 4BB, 5K.

Barr--1IP, 4H, 3ER, 3K.

Lynch-- 2IP, 0H, 1ER, 1BB, K.

McDaniel --1IP, 1H, 1ER, 2BB, 2K.

Mustangs pitching

Baker--8IP, 8H, 3ER, 3BB, 3K.

Green -- 1IP, 0H, BB, K.

Saturday's result

Joplin 2, Nevada 1

NE 000 010 000 -- 1 2 0

JO 020 000 000 -- 2 8 0

WP: Glaude. LP: Bush. SV: Mather.

Griffons pitching

Bush -- 5.2IP, 7H, 2ER, 6K.

Minnich -- 1.1IP, 1H, K.

Ford -- 1IP, 0H.

Outlaws pitching

Glaude -- 6IP, 2H, 1ER, 4K, 3BB.

Mather -- 3IP, 0H, 7K.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: