Omaha pitches sweep of Outlaws

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June 17, 2012

Omaha pitches sweep of Outlaws

By Richard Polen Globe Sports Writer The Joplin Globe Sun Jun 17, 2012, 11:15 PM CDT

Omaha’s Dylan Nelson allowed six singles and shut out Joplin 4-0 in the second game of a MINK League doubleheader Sunday at Wendell Redden Stadium.

The Diamond Spirits, behind the six-hit pitching of Ben Schiltz in the first game, withstood a late rally and defeated the Outlaws 4-2.

The two teams wrap up their three-game series with a nine-inning game scheduled for 7 p.m. today.

Nelson, who pitched in junior college last spring at College of San Mateo (Calif.), walked none and struck out five.

“That guy was one of the top closers in California last spring,” said Omaha head coach Arden Rakosky. “He’s going to the University of California at Berkeley. He signed with them last Thursday.”

Omaha, which took a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning, loaded the bases on singles by Brennan Murphy and Ben Herauf and an error on the Outlaws. Adam Unes drove in a run with a bunt single along the first-base line, and Tommy Clothier followed with a two-run double into the right-field corner.

The Diamond Spirits added a run in the fifth inning on a leadoff triple by Sonny Mastromatteo and a two-out single by Herauf.

“In game two, their pitcher threw three pitches for strikes and kept us off-balance,” said Outlaws head coach Rob Vessell. “You have to tip your hat to him.”

In the first game, Omaha took a 4-0 lead into the sixth inning before the Outlaws scored a run on a leadoff single by Justin Treece, a double down the right-field line by Koby Chadick and Cody Ball’s RBI grounder.

The Outlaws added a run in the bottom of the seventh on back-to-back singles by Kyle Dickens and pinch hitter David Guarno, an error, and Zack Steadman’s RBI ground ball.

Chadick, who played center field, was 3-for-6 in the doubleheader and flied out three times into the wind.

“They were throwing a little harder than what we’ve seen and threw some offspeed pitches, so they kept us off-balance,” Chadick said.

Omaha took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Consecutive singles by Garrett DeGallier and Zach Gerch gave the Diamond Spirits runners at first and third, and DeGallier scored when Outlaws catcher Sam Ryan threw out Gerch trying to steal second base.

Omaha added three runs in the third inning on an RBI double by DeGallier and a two-run double by Adam Unes.

Schiltz, from Glendale (Ariz.) Community College, walked two and struck out three. Kyle Bogese retired the last two Outlaws and picked up a save.

“We’ve been working with him, changed some of his mechanics and that was his best outing,” Rakosky said of Schiltz, who has signed with Western Oregon State, an NCAA Division II school. “We had some timely hits, but the pitchers were the thing and we played good defense.”