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Griffons defeat Omaha in Parents' Weekend opener, 6-2
By Eric Wade
Herald-Tribune
The Nevada Griffons officially opened the 2010 Parents' Weekend Friday night with the second of four home games in four days against one of the new faces to the MINK League this season. The Omaha Diamond Spirit baseball team was founded in 1994 by general manager and head coach Arden Rakorsky, but just joined the MINK League this season after Rakorsky took advantage of the vacancy created by the folding of the Beatrice Bruins organization after last season.
The Diamond Spirit brought with them a record of 7-10 on the year and a two-game losing streak and hopes of getting back on the winning track. The Griffons brought into the contest a two-game winning streak and high hopes of earning a victory to continue their winning ways and open Parents' Weekend on a high note.
The Griffons did just that as they opened the 2010 Parents' Weekend with a victory on Hoffman Financial Resources night by a final score of 6-2. "Especially Parents' Weekend, but anytime we can win at home, that's always a good situation for us," Griffons head coach Ryan Mansfield said.
In their last action, the Diamond Spirit were swept in a doubleheader at Excelsior Springs by the final scores of 10-0 and 3-1 while the Griffons earned 7-4 and 6-1 victories -- one at home and the other on the road -- over the Outlaws of Joplin to lift their record back up over the .500 mark.
Omaha drew first blood in the contest as Nevada starter Josh Malin gave up a one-out walk to third baseman Brandon Bass. Bass came around to score on a deep fly ball to center that glanced off the glove of Griffons center fielder Zach Caldwell, resulting in a three-base error and the Diamond Spirit's first unearned run of the night.
Omaha starter Matthew Tew came into the contest having not allowed an earned run in 11 1-3 innings of work this season, but quickly began to struggle as the home half of the second inning began. Griffons catcher Andrew Lacombe got things started in the frame with a base hit to left and the Griffons eventually loaded the bases with just one out. Designated hitter Cody Quinn then put a quick and very emphatic stop to Tew's scoreless streak with his first home run of the season -- a grand slam into the trees behind the left field fence -- on a 2-0 fastball.
"He's one that just keeps forcing himself in the lineup," Mansfield said of the Bridgeport University freshman. "That's one of those, as far as summer ball goes and as far as baseball goes, you know, if he keeps forcing us to put him in the lineup, we're going to keep putting him in there."
Though the Diamond Spirit continued to have little trouble getting baserunners through the middle innings, Malin maintained his composure and found a way to get out of two consecutive innings in which Omaha had runners in scoring position. Tew recovered quickly and echoed that success through the middle innings and what looked as though it may become a slugfest early ultimately turned into a tough pitchers' duel through the midpoint.
Tew was the first to see his night come to an end as Rakorsky elected to pull his starter after four innings. Tew finished the day allowing four runs on three hits with two strikeouts and six walks.
The Griffons wasted little time getting to Omaha reliever Steven Bougher as first baseman Shaun Hoover led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Hoover later came around to score as Bougher bounced a pitch past catcher Andrew James to extend Nevada's lead to 5-1.
The Griffons got to Bougher for the second straight inning in the home half of the sixth as Kyle Stiner gave Nevada a leadoff baserunner for the fifth time in six innings. Caldwell eventually brought Stiner home with a one-out single to left to extend the Griffons' lead to 6-1.
Malin's day on the mound came to an end after the sixth inning. Malin finished the day allowing a single unearned run on five hits with seven walks and one walk.
"Josh threw very well. He's still got definitely some room for improvement," Mansfield said of his starter. "He throws a lot of pitches. If we can be a little bit more consistent throwing strikes and save his pitch count, he's definitely going to be able to go deeper into the ballgame for us."
The Diamond Spirit attempted to make a last ditch comeback in the eighth inning as shortstop Austin Elkins drove in first baseman Danny Marcuzzo with an RBI double to right field. The Griffons were ultimately able to weather the storm, however, and shut Omaha down with no further damage for the remainder of the game to earn the victory by a final score of 6-2.
With that win, the Griffons improved to 8-5 overall, 7-5 in league play on the year and are set to host the Diamond Spirit once more in the middle game of the three-game Parents' Weekend set tonight at 7 p.m.