Red Sox edge Webb City at home

Sunshine. After the recent rains that soaked the ground all around Nevada, that should be a welcome change in scenery. Don't tell that to the Nevada Red Sox AA baseball team.

Red Sox left fielder Easton Mitchell and shortstop Grant Wolfe proved to be far from fond of the sunlight as it wreaked havoc on their efforts to aid their squad in its attempts to put down Webb City in Wednesday's home contest. Despite those struggles, however, the Red Sox battled through the adversity and used their very potent offense to earn a 12-10 victory.

"It was a real battle, seemed like it dragged out," Red Sox coach Jerrod Alexander said. "We've been out here working on the field all day so that made it just that much longer, but the kids are tough and really battled through that game."

The Red Sox came into the day on Wednesday far less than sure they would even get to play. Thunderstorms that brought with them torrential rainfall as well as high winds rolled through Nevada Tuesday night, leaving the field in questionable condition. Alexander and his staff were undeterred, however, and set to work, putting the better part of a day's work into provide the two teams an adequate surface on which to play.

"When I got here at noon, there was standing water on the field and there were some guys out here from noon until game time working on the field," Alexander said. "So I really appreciate that, they worked hard."

By the time the game was scheduled to begin, the field looked as though it had a few wet spots, but there was more than enough traction to be had and the game went on as scheduled.

Once the game got under way, it became quickly apparent to everyone in attendance that it could be a long night as the offense came early and often for both teams. Webb City drew first blood as a costly error by second baseman Zach Vignolo brought in the game's first run. The Cardinals went on to plate one more run in the top of the first, taking a 2-0 lead without scoring an earned run.

That didn't last long, however, as the Red Sox offense got Webb City's starter off the mound before the first out was recorded. By the time reliever Cole Slaughter was able to get out of the inning, the Red Sox had turned the tides with a six-run rally that gave them a 6-2 lead after just one inning.

That strong offensive showing that began the game was simply a sign of things to come for both sides. Both pitchers regained their composure, but only briefly, as the offensive onslaught began once again in the middle innings.

Webb City was once again the first to find that much-needed offensive spark as another costly Red Sox error allowed Jay Roderique to score. Nevada starter Cole Sanderson was able to keep his composure, however, and ultimately kept the damage to a minimum as he held Webb City to a single run.

Then the real action began.

The sun showed once again just how much of an impact it could have on the game as Webb City came to bat in the top of the fourth. Nevada's defenders seemed to struggle with locating the ball all over the field, ultimately leading to four Webb City hits in the frame. Webb City's offense wasted little time taking advantage of those hits, plating five runs in the frame to take an 8-6 lead.

Single runs in the fifth and sixth for Webb City came as a direct result of Nevada's battles with the sun as well. "Some balls were lost in the sun," Alexander said. "I tell the guys baseball's a game of mistakes, they're going to happen. We've just got to play through them and we did that really well."

The Red Sox did exactly that as they were quickly able to respond to Webb City's new-found offensive prowess with a substantial bit of their own. In the bottom of the fourth as Lane Ketterman knocked in Vignolo with an RBI double to right center and later scored on an error by Slaughter, giving the Red Sox an 8-8 tie.

After Webb City plated one more in the top of the fifth, the Red Sox found one more rally in them. Wolfe got things started for Nevada with a single to right and was later knocked in by Ketterman's double off the fence in right. Sanderson knocked in two more runs with a double of his own before Kyle "Bubba" Banes brought him in with the Red Sox third consecutive double. Banes was called out trying to stretch his hit into a triple, ending the rally at four runs and sending the Red Sox into the sixth with a 12-9 lead.

Webb City attempted a comeback in the top of the sixth, but Banes held his ground on the mound and kept the damage to a minimum, holding them to just one run and securing the 12-10 Red Sox victory.

"We've been hitting the ball well, I think we're averaging 13 runs a game," Alexander said. "That's something that we rely on because of our shortage of arms."

With that win, the Red Sox improved their record to 3-1 in district play, 4-5 overall and are set to be in action again today as they host Cassville at 6 p.m.