Rough ride: Griffons play long ball, rout Renegades 13-5

Wednesday, June 21, 2017
Nevada Griffons outfielder Raphael Villela Jr., out of Denver, Colo., takes a big cut during Tuesday night’s 13-5 rout of the Jefferson City Renegades.
Ralph Pokorny/Daily Mail

It was raining long balls Tuesday night as the Nevada Griffons pummeled the Jefferson City Renegades into submission, 13-5, at Lyons Stadium.

The victory snapped a two-game losing skid as the Griffons improved to 5-12 overall and 5-10 in MINK League-play, while the Renegades fell to 8-9 overall. Currently, the Griffons reside three and a half games back of the first-place Ozark Generals (8-6 MINK) in the MINK South division.

After leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, the Griffons were able to break through with a run in the second, as a Cole Solomon single to left plated Marco Young.

Jefferson City struck back with a run in the third, before grabbing a 3-1 lead in the fourth, courtesy of Tyler Cunningham’s two-run home run into the right-center field tree-line.

The Griffons had an answer in the home-half of the fourth, as TJ Martin led off with a solo blast, taking an Austin Sasche offering over the left field wall. With Raphael Villela Jr. on first, the scorching-hot Kainalu Pitoy mashed a two-run homer as Nevada went on top 4-3.

The Renegades reclaimed the lead in the fifth, as a Mike Million infield single scored Hunter Swift –– followed by Tanner Wetrich’s RBI double into the left-center field gap, scoring Million, as Jefferson City led 5-4.

In the bottom of the fifth, a two-out, 2-RBI single off the bat of Villela Jr. handed the Griffons a 6-5 advantage.

The Griffons plated three runs in the sixth, highlighted by Noah Menchaca’s two-run bomb to left center, as Nevada led 9-5. The Griffons continued to pour it on, tacking on four more runs in the eighth.

The Griffons increased their lead to 10-5 via Solomon’s RBI-single. Nevada’s lead swelled to eight runs when Oscar Larranaga clubbed a three-run homer off Renegades 6-foot-9 relief pitcher, Jacob Voss.

Meanwhile, on the mound, Griffons starter Ethan Vanderpool, out of Pitt State University, allowed three earned runs, while striking out four and walking a pair over four innings of work.

Pell City, Alabama native Bailey Smith, who entered in the fifth, was credited with the victory, his first of the season. Smith allowed two earned and three hits, while fanning three over three innings of work.

Thomas Swafford replaced Smith in the eighth, working two clean innings. For the Renegades Sasche (1-2) took the loss, allowing six earned runs over 4.2 innings.

At the plate, Pitoy, who was named the co-MINK League Player of the Week, after batting .529 last week, continued his torrid pace, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Pitoy, who opened the season 2-for-23 at the dish, has raised his batting average to .347 for the season.

In addition, a total of seven Griffons recorded at least two hits apiece, including Villela Jr., who finished 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs.

Up next

The Griffons welcome back the Renegades to Lyons Stadium, with the first pitch slated for 7 p.m., tonight.

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