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Griffons rally to win ugly season opener
By Joe Warren
Nevada Daily Mail
NEVADA, Mo. -- The Nevada Griffons overcame 13 walks and a 9-1 sixth-inning deficit to rally past the Joplin Slashers 10-9 Sunday, in the season opener for both teams.
A two-run single by Daniel Dellasega tied the game with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning and an infield single by Andy Cotton won it as the Griffons found a way to take a contest that was far from a thing of beauty.
"It was not a very pretty game, but we won," Nevada head coach John Hill III said. "Still, we have to do a lot better than that."
Aside from all the walks given out, the Griffons also committed three errors, had a passed ball and two wild pitches that led directly to runs.
The Slashers scored a run without even registering a base hit in the top of the first as two walks and an error loaded the bases and Joplin's Brian Lambert scored on a groundout by Chris Gacum for a 1-0 lead.
The Slashers again scored without a hit in the third as two walks, a passed ball and consecutive wild pitches by starter Tyler Mattox allowed two more to score and the Griffons trailed 3-0.
A walk and a fielder's choice that didn't retire anybody put two more Joplin baserunners on in the fourth inning when Anthony Vasquez blasted a three-run homer to right for a six-run lead.
The Griffons finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when Nick Adams hit a solo homer off that caromed off the light pole in right field to make the score 6-1.
Another three-run homer, this time by Joplin's Derrick Coleman, followed a pair of walks by Nevada reliever Brent Lamaster and gave the Slashers a 9-1 advantage.
"We gave it to them," Hill said of the two run producing long balls. "We handed them the bases and they cleaned them up with a home run."
While the Griffons helped the Slashers jump out to a big lead with all the bases on balls, the visitors did their best to let Nevada back in it.
The Griffon used six walks and seven hit batters to buoy the comeback. Four runs in the sixth off two walks, two hit batters and a pair of singles by Jake Hoover and Dellasega made the score 9-5 after six innings of play.
In the seventh it was a two-run single by Greg Rodgers that brought Nevada within two at 9-7.
The Griffons then loaded the bases with one out in eight but Tommy Fitzgerald grounded into a double play and it appeared as if Joplin would escape.
In the ninth the Slashers loaded the bases with three walks and appeared poised to finally put the game away, but Scott Limbocker got Vasquez to strike out looking to end the threat.
After another double play in the bottom of the ninth left the bases empty with two outs, the Slashers again gave Nevada baserunners.
Adams walked and that was followed by consecutive hit batters to load the bases. That brought in relief pitcher Matt Morgal with Dellasega at the plate.
The only returning position player for the Griffons this season delivered on an 0-2 pitch, singling up the middle on a ball that took a bad hop to get by Joplin shortstop Tyler Prudhomme, and the game was tied at nine.
"I love those situations and always have," Dellasega said. "0-2, I just shortened down a little bit, and tried to hit the ball up the middle like I've been taught."
Cotton followed with a high chopper to Prudhomme, but the Nebraska product beat it out for an infield single, allowing Hoover to score the winning run from third.
The two teams play again Monday, this time at Joe Becker Stadium in Joplin. The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
Notes: The two Jayhawk League teams were playing a non-league afternoon contest at Lyons Stadium. Monday's game also didn't count in the league standings. ... The Slashers only managed six hits in the game, none after the fifth inning. ... Nevada only had eight hits, six in the final four innings. ... Dellasega only had six RBIs all last season as a reserve catcher for the Griffons. He had half that many as the starting catcher Sunday.