From the Capital Journal:
ROSSVILLE — The ball was jumping out of Joe Campbell Stadium on Wednesday night as a total of seven home runs were hit in Rossville’s 11-9 Mid-Plains League victory over the Topeka Golden Giants.
The Rattlers (4-3) got homers from Jonathan Valenzuela-Reece, Matt Nerz, Jeff Christen and Colton Kooser.
Both team went hitless in the first three innings, but saw their bats break loose in the middle innings. Topeka (5-6) struck first, scoring three runs in the fourth inning. Lance Barkley drove in Emporia State’s Jonny Hodges with a two-run home run. Barkley’s long ball was followed by a solo shot off the bat of Cam Huber. The three runs were scored off Rossville starter and Hayden product Jake Michalski.
Rossville quickly responded to the early deficit by scoring three runs in the fourth. Leadoff hitter Valenzuela-Reece broke up Jacob Tetuan’s clean slate with a solo home run for Rossville’s first hit.
The Rattlers kept the pressure on Topeka by scoring four runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. The big blow in the fifth was a three-run home run by Christen. Kooser followed that with his own three-run blast in the sixth.
“With the wind blowing out of the south like it did today, the ball just jumps out of here,” Rossville coach Tobi Cowdin said. “Some of those hits were earned and others were helped. Sometimes it’s a lot like playing arcade baseball out here.”
Every batter in the Rossville lineup had at least one hit in the team’s 13-hit attack, and all but one batter crossed home plate in the win.
“Our offense was much better than last night’s,” Cowdin said. “We struck out like 15 times. It was nice to see the guys put the ball in play and find some holes for hits.”
Much like Monday’s series-opening win by the Rattlers, they built a big lead only to have to hold late as the Golden Giants mounted a rally.
Huber hit his second home run of the game, a two-run shot in the eighth inning off reliever Taylor Mah to cut the Rattler lead to five. The Golden Giants then loaded the bases with no outs in the same frame. Hodges advanced all runners, driving in one with a single. Barkley followed that hit with a sacrifice fly to drive in his fourth run of the night, which was followed by a single off the bat of Riley Krane to cap the five-run inning.
Topeka had the game-tying runs on base in the ninth with two outs, but Derrick McGreevy worked around a single and a walk to earn the save. Jake Hosey earned the win in relief.
The Golden Giants left 11 men on base.
Rossville continues play Friday with a doubleheader on the road against the Baldwin City Blues. The Golden Giants travel to Junction City to open a series with the league-leading Brigade.
Golden Giants 000 310 050 — 9 10 1
Rattlers 000 344 00x — 11 13 1
Tetuan, Montgomery (6) and Fehr. Michalski, Johnson (4), Hosey (4), Mah (8) and Nerz. W — Hosey. L — Tetuan. S — McGreevy. 2B — Rattlers: McGreevy, Hodges. HR — Golden Giants: Huber 2, Barkley. Rattlers: Valenzuela-Reece, Nerz, Christen, Kooser.
Records — Golden Giants 5-6, Rattlers 4-3.
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