Griffons 'squeezed' into losers bracket at Regional

Friday, July 25, 2003

EL DORADO, Kan. -- A ninth-inning error opened the door for a game-winning squeeze bunt that bumped the Nevada Griffons into the losers bracket. The third-seeded Griffons, who had a first-round bye, fell victim to the unseeded Wichita Twins in a 5-3 loss at the Midwest Regional on Thursday afternoon. Held in check by a pitcher who reportedly threw 80 percent changeups, the Griffons trailed 3-1 in the bottom of the eighth. "It seemed like we couldn't quite make the adjustment at the plate," said Griffons' assistant coach Scott Thomason. "We weren't patient and willing to take those pitches the other way." Kirk McConnell's solo home run over the right-field wall accounted for the Griffons' first score. Then, in the eighth, the Griffons came alive and battled back to pull into a 3-3 tie. Eric Horstman's triple drove home Tim Law, who had reached on an error, to cut the lead to 3-2, then Horstman scored the game-tying run on McConnell's groundout. However, it proved to be all for naught. A critical two-base throwing error by reliever Kyler Pomeroy on a comebacker by the leadoff hitter in the ninth put the Twins in scoring position with the potential game winner. A single advanced the runner to third, then a perfect squeeze bunt laid down by Wichita's Jared Pitts pushed the winning run home. Wichita added an insurance run later in the inning. The Griffons went down 1-2-3 in the ninth. Pomeroy, in relief of starter John Findley, took the loss. Findley went 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits with six strikeouts. Pomeroy allowed two runs (one earned) in 2 2/3 innings. Chad Steele, the Griffons' leading hitter, led the six-hit offense with a 2-for-4 performance. Horstman, McConnell, Brian Bugg and Reed Hawkins collected one hit apiece. McConnell knocked in two runs, Horstman one. The loss added credence to an age-old sports' axiom that states, "it's tough to beat a team three times in a row." Nevada recorded two previous victories in regular-season matchups with the Twins, winning 6-1 at home and 5-1 on the road. Third place would be the best the Griffons could hope for coming through the losers bracket. Nevada meets the Great Bend (Kan.) Cardinals, a team they haven't faced this season, at 6 p.m. today. Thursday's results Wichita Twins 5, Nevada Griffons 3 Wichita Braves 10, Elkhart Dusters 0 Hays Larks 4, Salina Bluejays 2 El Dorado Broncos 8, Springfield Slashers 3 Wichita Titans 3, Newton Rebels 1 Wednesday's results Elkhart Dusters 9, Haysville Highlanders 3 Wichita Twins 2, Wichita Rattlers 1 Hays Larks 14, Wichita Titans 1 Salina Bluejays 3, Newton Rebels 1 Springfield Slashers 5, Great Bend Cardinals 0

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