Senators Win With Late Homers

From CJ Online:
   Two late-inning home runs served as the run differential in the Topeka Senators’ 9-6 Mid-Plains League victory over the Rossville Rattlers late Monday.
Ryan Colombo, a Seaman graduate playing at Drury University, hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning to break a 6-6 tie. That home run was followed by a solo shot in the ninth inning by Missouri Western’s Andrew Ramirez.
   Colombo hit the home run chasing in Topeka’s Grant Arnold, who reached base in all six plate appearances with four singles and two walks. The Senators’ No. 1 and 2 hitters in the lineup combined for 6 hits, 4 runs, and 4 RBIs.
   “You couldn’t ask for more from those guys at the top. About five or six games in we switched Grant to the top of the order, and he’s done everything we have asked him to do,” Senators coach Chris Graves said. “Colombo always gets him over. That’s the job of the No. 2 guy, and he’s been getting it done.”
The offensive performance backed a solid outing from the Senators bullpen. Buddy Fellers earned the win in relief. Fellers threw 3 2/3 innings, striking out two batters. Anthony Miele earned the save by recording the final four outs, the first a strikeout that stranded a Rossville runner on the base path.
   “Buddy told me before the game that he was feeling it, so I told him he would be the first out of the pen,” Graves said. “Miele and I worked out two hours before the game, and I showed him some pointers. The side-arm thing is new for him, but tonight he looked like a veteran.”
   The bullpen backed up an up-and-down outing for starting pitcher Scott Shinn. Shinn, a graduate of Rossville High School and a former Rattler, pitched his first game in Rossville since the passing on Rossville Baseball mentor Bret Cowdin. Shinn struggled to get ahead of hitters, falling behind in the count to the first three batters he faced.
   Rossville plated two first-inning runs before Shinn settled in to strike out five batters over four innings.
“It was definitely something else. I really wanted to pitch against Rossville. It was a really nice thing to get to pitch here in front of Toby and coach Cowdin’s family. This was just special to be a part of it,” Shinn said.
With the win the Senators improve to 5-3 in Mid-Plains action coming off the heels of a tough series against the Junction City Brigade.
   “It’s a big win. We lost 10-0 to Junction City, and they have a great ball club out there. It’s great to just come out and show some fight. Our bullpen pitched really well, and we made some big defensive plays,” Colombo said.
    Colombo will take the mound for game two of the series against the Rattlers, who fell to 0-7 in league play.

Topeka (5-3)      0 1 3 0 0 2 0 2 1    =  9 13 2
Rossville (0-7)    2  0 1 2 0 0 1 0 0   =   6  7  3