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Offensive onslaught continues as Griffons steamroll Sedalia, St. Joe's
The Nevada Griffons have been tearing the cover off the ball as of late.
This weekend was no different, with the Griffons dispatching Sedalia 12-7 Saturday night followed by an 8-2 Sunday night triumph over perennial MINK League power St. Joe's.
The pair of weekend home victories improves Nevada to 13-8 overall (11-8 MINK League). The Griffons currently sit just percentage points back of the first-place Joplin Outlaws (10-7) in the MINK South division, while St. Joe's and Sedalia are locked into a first-place tie in the North division at 13-8.
Nevada head coach Ryan Mansfield said he is impressed with his team's progression at the plate this season.
"We didn't start off the season hitting this good," he said. "Guys were pressing and trying to do too much. They've made adjustments and have realized that one guy doesn't have to do everything."
Griffons 12 Bombers 7
This contest wasn't as close as the final score indicated, as Nevada led 9-0 after five innings of play, and 11-2 through seven innings.
The Griffons bats broke out in the bottom of the third inning, as Nevada put four runs on the scoreboard. With 1-out in the inning, a Kainulu Pitoy base knock scored Adam Eskil from third to put Nevada on top 1-0. Later in the inning, an error on Bombers first baseman Ben Whetstone, allowed Pitoy to score while Ethaniel Valdez reached first base, giving the Griffons a 2-0 lead.
Following Valdez, Tyler Pagano clubbed his MINK League leading fifth home run. Pagano also leads the league in RBIs with 27. The 2-run blast off the bat of Pagano gave the Griffons a 4-0 cushion.
"I think Tyler is at or near the top of the list as far as MINK League hitters," Mansfield said. "Tyler has cut his swing down with two strikes. He's also improved upon hitting the ball to the opposite field instead of trying to pull everything. And he is being more selective at the plate."
Nevada increased its advantage to 6-0 in the bottom of the fourth as Tanner Wetrich scored on an error, and Jake McPhail a fielders choice.
The Griffons tacked on three runs in the bottom of the fifth, with the first coming on a fielders choice plating Pagano. Later in the inning, an error charged to Bombers third baseman Louis Niemerg proved costly as Judah Zickafoose and Wetrich both crossed home plate giving the Griffons a nine run cushion.
Sedalia starting pitcher Brad Spinner lasted five innings, allowing nine runs (five earned) to go along with eight hits and a pair of strike outs.
Sedalia scored its first runs of the game in the top of the seventh as they trailed 9-2. Nevada answered back in the bottom half of the inning with two runs, to go up 11-2. The Bombers cut into the deficit over the final two innings, outscoring the Griffons 5-1.
For Nevada, starter Doug Molzahn, a right-handed pitcher out of Southwestern Oregon Community College was lights out. Molzahn spun six scoreless innings, allowing only four hits while fanning three and walking a batter. In picking up his first victory of the season, Molzahn lowered his earned run average to 2.45.
At the dish, the scorching-hot Pagano was 2-for-5 with a home run, two runs scored and three RBIs; Wetrich 3-for-5 with four runs scored; Pitoy 3-for-5 with a run; and McPhail 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run.
Griffons 8 Mustangs 2
Nevada has had St. Joe's number this season, knocking off the Mustangs three times at home this season.
"Beating St. Joe's three times at our place has been pretty big for us," Mansfield said. "We seem to step up our level of play against better competition. And we don't make the mistakes against them we've been making against other teams."
Against St. Joe's Sunday evening, the Griffons got to Mustangs ace Michael Lydon-Lorson early, scoring a run apiece in the first and second innings to go in front 2-0. Despite walking four batters through the first two innings, Griffons starter Bryce Tassin emerged unscathed. Tassin eventually yielded a pair of runs, with both coming in the top of third as the Mustangs evened the contest 2-2.
With both pitchers settling down, neither team scored again until the bottom of the eighth, when the Griffons broke the game open with a six-run inning.
Cole Johnson helped Nevada recapture the lead courtesy of a bases loaded 2-RBI single down the right field line, scoring Valdez and Pagano. With Nevada now holding a 4-2 advantage, a Jonathan Lynch wild pitch that completely cleared the backstop netting, scored Zickafoose from third as Nevada went up 5-2.
Later in the inning, leading 7-2, a Jaxxon Fagg RBI-double smacked down the right field line, gave the Griffons a commanding 8-2 edge.
Griffons relief pitcher Tyler Butcher, who entered the game in the top of the eighth, returned to the mound in the ninth to close things out. Butcher tossed a clean inning, sending the Griffons to the six-run victory.
For the Griffons, Butcher's two scoreless frames earned him the victory as he improves 2-1. Tassin, who didn't factor into the decision, went six innings, allowing two earned runs, while striking out three. Tassin however, did have control issues, walking six while scattering five hits.
At the plate, Wetrich was 1-for-3 with two runs; Fagg 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI; Zickafoose 1-for-3 with a run; while Johnson and Justin Bennett chipped in with two RBIs apiece.
Mansfield said he is pleased with his squad's play of late, but would like to see further improvement in three areas going forward.
"The first is situational hitting," he said. "It's been our Achilles' heel all year. We need to hit better with runners in scoring position.
"On the mound, we need to cut down on walks and pitch to contact more. And the third area is defensively, every so often we make a bone-headed play that always comes at the most inopportune time. For example, missing the cut-off man on a relay throw."
Mansfield, who was named the head coach of the Griffons in 2009, said this is probably the most enjoyable group of players he has been around.
"I've had a lot of good teams, but this is one of the better group's I've been around as far as talent, personality and character," he said. "They've had zero issues off the field, and are a fun group to watch."
Up next
The Griffons host the Clarinda (Iowa) A's for a pair of games, with the first pitch slated for 7 p.m. tonight. Admission is free courtesy of Heartland Behavioral Services. Also scheduled for Tuesday evening, is the Griffons youth baseball camp graduation ceremony.
The teams will return to action Wednesday, with the first pitch again set for 7 p.m.