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Nevada Griffons fall to Ozark at home
By Eric Wade
Daily Mail Sports Editor
With the tying run on third base and two outs in the top of the ninth inning of Friday night's MINK League matchup between the Nevada Griffons and the Ozark Generals, head coach Jerrod White went to his bullpen and brought in the fifth pitcher of the night for the Generals. Nico Lytle went on to throw just one pitch before proving his head coach's decision to be a good one, as he got David Massey to hit a weak ground ball to first base to preserve Ozark's 7-6 victory at Lyons Stadium.
Friday's contest was originally scheduled to be played in Springfield, but heavy rainfall around the area forced the contest to be moved to Nevada. Even so, Ozark was the home team on the scoreboard and ultimately came out on top in what was an up-and-down contest, throughout its duration.
The Generals drew first blood with a pair of runs in the home half of the first inning, only to see the Griffons come right back and tie the game with a run in the second on Jacob Alexander's solo home run and another run in the third on a Cody Farrell single that scored B.J. Findley. But that wasn't nearly all of the fireworks Friday's contest had in store for the fans in attendance.
The two offenses went quiet until the home half of the sixth inning, when Springfield's Joe Battaglia put his squad back on top with a sacrifice fly to Findley in center field that scored Payton Reed.
Though the Griffons found themselves down, 3-2, head coach Ryan Mansfield's squad wasn't giving up there. The Griffons came back in the top half of the seventh inning and seemingly took control of the contest with three runs on two hits to take a 5-3 advantage.
That was where things began to unravel, however.
Trailing for the first time in the contest, the Generals came to life in the home half of the seventh and plated four runs -- all of which came with two out. Kelvin Brito brought in the first two with a double and he didn't have to wait long to come around and score himself, as Battaglia hit a home run, just three pitches later.
Though the Griffons did threaten to make another comeback in the top of the ninth, as Farrell scored on Gerardo Arzaga's fielder's choice grounder that was followed by an error to get Arzaga into scoring position, that was all the offense the Generals needed as Lytle put a quick end to the threat and earned the save.
Tyler Huffstickler came out with the win on the mound for the Generals, allowing one unearned run on one hit with three strikeouts and a walk in one inning of work. Nevada's Reece Ponak took the loss for the Griffons, as he pitched just two-thirds of an inning with a strikeout and a walk.
By the time all was said and done, the Griffons actually outhit the Generals, 11-9, but left 10 runners on base, which proved to be their ultimate downfall. Of those 11 hits, Alexander finished with three to lead the Griffons, along with his two RBIs.
With the loss, the Griffons fell to 4-3 on the season, 3-3 in League play, and currently sit two and a half games behind the MINK League South Division-leading Sedalia Bombers.
Next on the schedule for Mansfield's squad is Saturday, when the Griffons host the Clarinda (Iowa) A's. First pitch in that contest is set for 7 p.m., at Lyons Stadium, weather permitting.