Menu
Griffons defeat Bombers at home, 9-4
By Eric Wade
Daily Mail Sports Editor
For the first time in four games, the Nevada Griffons baseball team made its return to Lyons Stadium Friday night, facing what could be their toughest opposition of the season in the Sedalia Bombers.
The Bombers entered the night leading the MINK League South Division at 12-4, while the Griffons brought in a 5-10 MINK League record, having lost seven of their last eight league games. The only win in that span for the Griffons came in Tuesday's contest against the A's of Clarinda, Iowa, when they took an 8-3 victory.
In that stretch, the defense has been the biggest issue, as the Griffons have shown more than adequate offensive prowess on a number of occasions and the pitching staff has done its job, as well. Though there were two more errors by the Griffons' defense in the contest -- bringing their season total to 39 -- that powerful offense and pitching staff proved to be enough, as the Griffons took the victory by a final score of 9-4.
"It's always fun to beat those guys because you know, it really gets to them," Griffons head coach Ryan Mansfield said.
The Bombers didn't need any errors by the Griffons' defense to draw first blood in the contest, as Jerrod Perry led off the game with a double off of Nevada starter Rich Michaud. He eventually came around to score on Hunter Leeper's RBI groundout to give the Bombers a 1-0 lead before the Griffons ever got a chance at bat.
Sedalia's Tyler Tuepker had his own struggles in the first inning, as the Griffons didn't stay behind for long. After allowing a hit to lead off the game, Tuepker hit Cody Farrell with a pitch, setting up Brandon Downs with two runners on base and a chance to get the Griffons on the board.
Downs took advantage of the opportunity and did so emphatically, sending a fastball from Tuepker into the trees behind the left field fence. The Griffons weren't done there, as Daniel Midyett reached on a walk and later came around to score on a wild pitch to give Mansfield's squad a 4-1 lead after one inning.
The Bombers wasted little time getting to Michaud once again, as they opened the second inning with hits from Johnathon Ramon and Jess Cartner. Ramon eventually came around to score on a fielder's choice by Daniel Arthur to cut the Griffons' lead to two, at 4-2.
Farrell wasted little time getting those runs back, as he repeated Downs' performance from his first at-bat, taking a Tuepker pitch over the fence in left field, driving in Brooks Morse and adding to his league-leading home run and RBI total with a two-run shot. Farrell's fourth homer of the year gave the Griffons their biggest lead up to that point, at 6-2, and brought an end to Tuepker's day on the mound.
By the time all was said and done, the Bombers' starter lasted just two innings, allowing six earned runs on five hits with one strikeout, one walk and one hit batter in the losing effort.
"(Sedalia's) starter didn't make quality pitches and was working up in the zone," Mansfield said. "And they took advantage of it."
Just as they've made a habit of doing throughout the season, the Griffons were unable to keep the momentum going as the first error of the night -- a pickoff throw by Michaud that got away from Farrell at first -- gave the Bombers one of those runs back in the third inning. By the time all was said and done, head coach Jud Kindle's squad plated one more run to get back within two at 6-4.
Once again, however, the Griffons came right back with three more runs in the home half of the fourth, opening up their biggest lead of the night at 9-4.
The Bombers found their way into the Griffons' bullpen in the sixth inning, as he gave way to Chad Worman. By the time his day came to an end, Michaud allowed four runs on five hits with a strikeout, a walk and two hit batters in five innings of work to take the win.
"He did well," Mansfield said of his starter. "He threw better the last couple innings there."
The Griffons threatened to add to their lead on a pair of hits and an error in the bottom of the eighth, but Bombers reliever Chandler Wolf was eventually able to get out of the bases-loaded, one-out jam with no damage and that marked the end of the offense for both squads, as the Griffons held on to take the five-run victory.
By the time the contest came to an end, the Griffons outhit Sedalia, 15-6, and overcame two errors to take the win. Though he wasn't sure what has kept his squad from that kind of performance in earlier games, Mansfield's confidence remains high in the roster he and assistant coach Zach Stuart have with which to work.
"It's in there," Mansfield said. "It's just trying to get it every day that's the problem.
"Lack of talent is not our problem. It's just been the execution that's the problem."
Leading the offensive charge for the Griffons was the heart of the order, as Farrell and Downs combined for six RBIs in the third and fourth spots in the batting order. Downs did it with two hits, while Farrell finished with one and Cooper Burton and Brooks Morse combined for seven, between them.
"I like that 3-4 combination," Mansfield said.
Morse finished the night with four hits to Burton's three, while Kurt Becker and Jake Alexander each added two. Alexander was also credited with one RBI.
With the win, the Griffons improved to 8-10 overall, 6-10 in league play. Mansfield's squad is scheduled to get right back into action on Saturday, hosting the Kansas City Monarchs in a non-league contest, for the second weekend in a row.
First pitch in that contest is set for 7 p.m., at Lyons Stadium.