Loss to Topeka gives Griffons 8 a.m. start today

WICHITA, Kan. -- If the Nevada Griffons are going to win the National Baseball Congress World Series, they're going to have to do so from the losers' bracket and they're going to have to start bright and early this morning.

A 9-4 loss to former MINK League rival Topeka Golden Giants Friday night forces the Griffons to play the Austin Gold Sox in an elimination game at 8 a.m. this morning at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.

Nevada fought back to forge a 4-4 tie after it's turn in the top of the seventh inning. But Topeka scored 4 in the bottom of the inning to tie game game, then won it with the aid of two sacrifices and two walks in the bottom of the eighth.

While the Griffons have to come back to Lawrence-Dumont 12 1/2 hours after the conclusion of Friday night's game, Austin hasn't played since beating Cape Girardeau (Mo.) Plaza Tire on Monday.

In order to have a chance to win the World Series, the Griffons will have to win four times in the next five days.

Nevada missed an opportunity to take the lead in the top of the second inning as the Griffons managed to get two runners on with two out. But Joel Klock grounded out to the pitcher to end the inning.

Topeka scored off Nevada starter Steve Kuligowski in the bottom of the third as Blake Stroth -- who went 3 for 4 and drove in 4 runs for the Giants -- knocked in Alex Miller with a single.

Kuligowski, a control pitcher who uses the outside of the plate, struggled as he dealt with a home plate umpire who defined the strike zone very tightly. He allowed 3 hits in the fourth, which led to two Topeka runs. Aaron Rea drove both of them in with a double that landed right on the left-field line with 2 outs. Blair DeBard, who had doubled, and Chase Saxton scored on the play.

Stroth made it 4-0 after five innings when he drove Shannon Engroff in with a one-out triple to right-center. Kuligowski left the game after that inning after allowing 7 hits and 1 walk while striking out 5.

A 2-out error sparked Nevada in the top of the sixth. A.J. Krist grounded to first but Topeka's Shane Conlon had trouble with the ball and Krist reached safely. Rick Hepworth drew a walk, then Gavin Stark and Quaid McKinnon lashed back-to-back RBI singles to bring the Griffons within 4-2.

Nevada tied the score in the top of the seventh. Brian Wilson led off with a single to right-center. Austin Williams bunted Wilson to second. A groundout put Wilson on third from where he scored on Krist's first-pitch double to left. Krist scored on Hepworth's single brought Krist home.

The Golden Giants got every one of those runs back in the bottom of the seventh to take an 8-4 lead. Eight batters went to the plate in the inning. Josh Halbert led off with a walk and was bunted to second. Engroff singled and Stroth brought in Halbert with a single. Engroff hustled to third and Halbert moved to second on the the throw.

Conlon's 2-out single plated Engroff and Stroth. DeBard singled and then took off for second to execute a double steal that allowed Conlon tie the score.

Rea led off the eighth for Topeka and moved to second on a bunt. Miller and Engroff drew walks and Stroth delivered Rea with the winning run on a sacrifice fly.

Josh Samuelson singled with one out in the top of the ninth for Nevada as the Griffons tried to avoid dropping to the elimination bracket. Krist drew a walk. But Topeka's John Fasloa struck out Peter Goudeau and got Stark to ground to short to end the game.

McKinnon went 3 for 4 to lead the Griffons at the plate. Hepworth was 2 for 2. DeBard had 3 hits for Topeka while Rea and Engroff each had 2.

Zach Juliano took the loss for Nevada, allowing 4 runs on 4 hits and 1 walk while striking out 2 in 1 2/3 innings. Keegan Rawhouser ended up as the winning pitcher for Topeka even though he pitched to just one batter in the seventh -- who he got to fly out to left to end the frame.

---

GRIFFONS BOX

Nevada...... 000 002 200 -- 4 9 0

Topeka...... 001 210 41x -- 9 12 1

E -- Conlon. DP -- Nevada 1 (Samuelson, Watson and Krist), Topeka 1 (DeBard and Conlon).

LOB -- Nevada 11, Topeka 5. 2B -- Krist, DeBard, Rea. 3B -- Stroth. SB -- Conlon, DeBard. CS -- DeBard, Stroth. S -- Williams, Halbert, Miller. SF -- Stroth.

WP -- Wallingford, Fasola. HBP -- DeBard (by Juliano).

T -- 2:35.