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Bristyan’s monster performance sparks Griffons to 8-4 victory over Mudcats
Josh Bristyan was a menace on the base paths Friday night at Lyons Stadium, swiping five bags and collecting three hits as the Griffons doubled up the visiting Chillicothe Mudcats, 8-4.
The victory keeps the Griffons (11-9) in first place in the MINK South Division. Nevada entered Friday’s contest a half-game up on both the Jefferson City Renegades and Ozark Generals. Those squads met Friday in Republic. The final score, however, was unavailable as of press time.
Griffons starting pitcher Chandler Currey yielded a run in the top of the first, but was otherwise sharp, allowing two earned while striking out six and walking three in six frames of work.
The Mudcats went in front on Andrew Williams’ one-out RBI double down the right field line. Nevada replied in the home-half of the first with a pair of runs.
Bristyan, a MINK League All-Star shortstop, drew a leadoff walk, then swiped second and third before being plated on Connor Gage’s infield single.
After recording a strike out for the innings first out, Chillicothe stater Trae Brownell issued three consecutive walks, forcing in Gage from third, as the Griffons went on top, 2-1.
With the bases loaded Brownell escaped further damage, striking out Judah Zickafoose and inducing Tony Rask into an inning-ending fly out to right.
The Mudcats knotted the contest at two-apiece in the top of fourth via Jack Cavanaugh’s one-out solo blast into the left-center field tree line.
The Griffons quickly struck back, pushing across a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth.
With one out Bristyan rocketed a Brownell offering down the left field line, scoring Rask from first.
After stealing third, Bristyan came in to score on Zion Mayberry’s sacrifice fly to center as the Griffons led, 4-2.
Chillicothe trimmed the deficit to a run in the sixth as Nate Gawelko’s run-scoring single made the score 4-3.
Bristyan, a commit to Division I Gonzaga University, punched a single into right-center to open the home-half of the sixth.
With Chillicothe reliever Evan laze on the bump, Bristyan continued to shine on the base paths, stealing second and third — notching his fourth and fifth stolen bases of the contest.
Bristyan was then plated on Mayberry’s fielder’s choice groundout, handing Nevada a 5-3 advantage.
The Griffons then tacked on a pair of runs in the seventh, on a Glaze wild pitch, scoring Ben Palensky, followed by another Mayberry RBI fielder’s choice grounout, swelling the Griffons advantage to 7-3.
The Griffons added an insurance run in the eight as Palensky, of Papillion, Nebraska, clubbed his fourth homer of the season. The solo shot put the Griffons on top 8-3.
The Mudcats threatened in the ninth, loading the bases with no outs. Relief pitcher Thomas Boothe surrendered a run on a wild pitch. The 6-foot-7 Fairhope, Alabama native minimized the damage with a pair of strike outs before inducing Jared Fry to fly out to left for the game’s final out.
Bristyan, the star of the game, finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored, an RBI, and five stolen bases, while rasing his batting average to a Ted Williams like .406 for the season.
Palensky finished 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Mayberry, who went hitless, drove in three runs.
Currey (2-0), a southpaw who sports a 3.93 ERA, earned the pitching victory, while Brownell (1-4) was tagged with the loss, allowing four earned and five hits, while walking five in four innings of work.
Up next
The Griffons return to the diamond tonight, as they again square off with the Mudcats (9-13). First pitch is slated for 7.