WICHITA, Kan. —
Zach Caldwell and Patrick Deao, mainstays this past season for Missouri Southern State University, are in the probable lineup for the Nevada Griffons as they open play tonight in the annual National Baseball Congress World Series at Wichita.
The Griffons (29-19) are scheduled to play the Haysville (Kan.) Heat at 10 in Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in the 32-team, double-elimination event.
Nevada head coach Ryan Mansfield said Friday that Haysville, south of Wichita, won the Jayhawk League in its first year in the league.
The Griffons, who compete in the MINK League, qualified for the NBC World Series by winning the Washita Valley Regional at Chickasha, Okla. Automatically qualifying from the MINK were divisional champions Chillicothe (North) and Sedalia (South).
The MINK has a fourth representative at Wichita, the St. Joseph Mustangs, who also won a qualifying regional.
Mansfield said that Caldwell will play center field and Deao right field against Haysville.
Said Mansfield: “Caldwell and Deao (right-handed batters) have done a solid job this season and they’re good kids.”
Plus, Mansfield said, Jordan Kerbs, another outfielder and former Nevada High School standout, has signed with Southern out of Labette Community College.
The probable Nevada batting order consists of Caldwell, left fielder Devin Melecio, third baseman Zach Carter, designated hitter M.J. Sartin, second baseman Cody Quinn, first baseman Shaun Hoover, Deao, shortstop Kyle Stiner and catcher Albert Selanders.
Ryan Parson, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound right-hander, is the probable starting pitcher.
Caldwell, who completed his eligibility at Southern, prepped at Pittsburg St. Mary’s-Colgan and joined the Lions from Fort Scott Community College. Deao, from Omaha, will be a senior with the Lions and joined them from Neosho County Community College.
Caldwell and Deao have respective averages of .322 and .318 entering the series. Caldwell paces the team in runs scored (51) and stolen bases (30 in 35 attempts). Deao has five home runs and 28 RBI.
Carter is No. 1 on the team in average (.355), doubles (18) and RBI (37). Quinn, who’s averaging .345, has the most homers (7) and is runner-up in RBI with 32.
Sartin (.329) and Melecio (.318) give the Griffons six players with averages of more than .300.
Parson is 5-0 with a 2.13 earned run average. He’s struck out 27 and walked just seven in 42 1/3 innings.
Said Mansfield: “Ryan is a fastball, slider guy with the change his third pitch. He attacks the zone and has command of all three pitches.”
Mansfield, who’s assisted by Jon Hanson, is in his second complete season as head coach of the Griffons after assisting one year. He’s assistant coach at Fort Scott for former Griffon head coach John Hill. Mansfield is part of a series team for the third year in a row.
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