Rattlers Lose To Giants Tue

From the Capital-Journal:

ROSSVILLE — It started out as a typical slugfest at the cozy confines of Joe Campbell Stadium with both the Topeka Golden Giants and Rossville Rattlers belting a solo home run in the second inning.

Strong pitching from both teams, however, took over and it took some small ball for the Golden Giants to pull out a 3-1 victory in a Mid-Plains League game Tuesday.

The Giants scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning, scoring a runner from third on a fielder’s choice grounder to first then squeezing in another run to knot the three-game series at 1-1 with the rubber game at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

“It was well pitched by both teams,” Giants coach John Tetuan said. “Each team had some good at-bats and got guys on but the pitchers threw well.”

Connor Crimmins put the Giants (4-5) on the board in the top of the second with a homer over the short right-field fence, then the Rattlers (3-3) pulled even in the bottom of the inning on Collin Scribner’s homer to center.

Scribner was the only Rattler to get a good swing off Giants starter Ben Ramberg, who allowed only two hits with nine strikeouts and three walks in five innings.

“We talk to our pitchers about setting the tone of the game and Ben did a good job of that,” Tetuan said.

Rossville starter Drew Scrimsher also went five innings, allowing three hits with one walk and one strikeout.

Rossville had a threat in the seventh, loading the bases with two outs with a single, error and walk. Topeka reliever and winner Ty Geary escaped with a groundout, then the Giants took the lead in the eighth off Rossville reliever Derrick McGreevy.

Casey Sedbrook led off with a double and was sacrificed to third by JB Eary. Blake Nystrom hit a grounder to first base and Sedbrook beat the throw home by Garrett Weber for the go-ahead run. Nystrom scored from third on a squeeze bunt by Riley Krane.

Ryan Ihle pitched the ninth for Topeka to earn a save, stranding Rattlers at first and second with a game-ending strikeout.

“Riley laid a nice squeeze bunt down and the situation worked out good,” Tetuan said. “I told them we had to put ourselves in a situation to come out on top. We had good approaches at the plate, we pitched well and made the most of our opportunities.”

Topeka 010 000 020 — 3 6 1

Rossville 010 000 000 — 1 5 0

Ramberg, Geary (6), Ihle (9) and Tapia. Scrimsher, McGreevy (6), Hosey (8) and Nerz, Valenzuela-Reece. W — Geary. L — McGreevy. Sv — Ihle. 2B — Topeka: Ihle, Sedbrook. HR — Topeka: Crimmins. Rossville: Scribner.