From the Capital-Journal:
ROSSVILLE — The third annual
Memorial Night at Joe Campbell Stadium had the ideal setting with the game
between the Rossville Rattlers and Topeka Golden Giants.
The night honored the late Brett Cowdin, who coached at five
Shawnee County high schools and founded both the Golden Giants (2005) and
Rattlers (2011). The Mid-Plains League rivals hooked up in the finale of a
three-game series and Rossville avoided the sweep with a 14-4, run-rule victory
Saturday night.
“To see the guys have success on the field makes me feel great,”
said Tobi Cowdin, the Rattlers head coach and Brett’s son (Brett’s brother,
Bruce, is the assistant coach). “To add it to everything going on out there
today with my dad, that makes it very special. It was a great night for us.”
Danny Mitchell Jr. capped a big night as the Rattler designated
hitter belted a walkoff grand slam to cap a seven-run seventh inning for the
run-rule victory.
“I was just trying to help the team,” said Mitchell, who plays
at Arkansas-Little Rock. “It was a big night for the team and an emotional
night for coach so we were trying to do what we could.”
Mitchell also hit a grand slam in Friday’s loss, so that thought
crept into his mind as he stepped to the plate against Topeka reliever Dalton
Laird.
“I can’t say it wasn’t in the back of my head,” Mitchell said. “Was
I trying to do that? No, but it happened.”
Mitchell went 3 for 5 with two doubles and seven RBIs.
“He’s seeing the ball well,” Cowdin said. “That’s a good kid.
His dad was able to make it in from Arkansas today so that was nice for him.”
The Giants, who won the first two games by a combined score of
27-10, got on the board right away when Jacob Kirmer homered on the first pitch
of the game. But Rattlers pitcher Jeremy Kravetz, a Kansas Jayhawk left-hander,
recovered from that initial blow to contain the Giants (8-9 MPL).
Kravetz scattered eight hits with three strikeouts and four
walks in a seven-inning complete game.
“He was keeping them off-balance with his off-speed pitches and
throwing strikes with multiple pitches,” Cowdin said. “They are a great hitting
team but he was able to mix up his pitches tonight.”
The Rattlers (5-12 MPL) tied the score in the bottom of the
first when Jonathan Valenzuela-Reece, who was 3 for 5 with two RBIs, led off
with a single and scored on Mitchell’s double. The Rattlers extended their lead
to 5-1 after four innings, were up 7-2 after six when Mitchell hit a two-run
double and they scored seven in the seventh for the run-rule win.
Giants starter Paul Wolfram pitched three-plus innings, giving
up five runs on six hits.
Topeka 100 010 2 — 4 8 1
Rossville 130 102 7 — 14 13 0
Wolfram, Schwandt (4), Smith (7), Laird (7) and Kirmer. Kravetz
and Whitworth, T.Peterson (6). W – Kravetz. L – Wolfram. 2B – Topeka: Eary.
Rossville: Mitchell 2. HR – Topeka: Kirmer. Rossville: Mitchell.
