The A's Gang had its "A" game on Wednesday night.
Neffs had never beaten Maynard in Steele and Cook Insurance Ohio Valley Baseball League action.
Two weeks ago, they nearly accomplished the feat, only to fall 3-2 on a Mark Cisar walk-off two-run homer.
Article Photos
T-L Photo/KIM NORTH
NEFFS’ Clay Francis hits the dirt as he slides safely into third base Wednesday night during Steele and Cook Insurance Ohio Valley Baseball League action in Neffs. The hosts won, 17-0. Waiting for the throw is Maynard third baseman Chase Ripley.
Last night at the old ballyard along Ohio 149, the A's Gang (6-3) made sure that didn't happen again. The hosts scored seven times in the second inning and tacked on seven more in their next at-bat en route to a 17-0 shellacking before a nice-sized gathering under clear blue skies.
"We came focused and our bats were alive today," said Neffs' player/co-manager Dane Koch. "It was a good win for us, especially at home."
After going down in order in the first inning, the A's Gang got going in the second frame as Clay Francis singled and Jon Nagel followed with a double down the left field line. Clark Kasprowski was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out and Brandon Leonard lined a 2-1 pitch past third base for a two-run single. Darby Waller walked to re-load the bases and Josh Nagel's grounder to third was misplayed as a run scored and the sacks remained juiced.
Fred Owens made it 5-0 with a two-run single to left and Francis, batting for the second time in the inning, capped the outburst with a two-run double to left-center.
Neffs sent 13 batters to the plate in the third, with the first seven reaching base safely and chasing Maynard starter Justin Curry.
Leonard slapped an RBI single and waller tripled him home. Koch had a run-producing single and Owens hammered a two-run double to deep center. A trio of Maynard errors helped the cause.
A three-run fifth concluded the scoring as Steve Splenda had an RBI triple. Koch walked with the bases loaded to force in another run and Josh Nagel legged out an infield single as a run crossed the plate.
"After a game like today, there's two ways you can go," Maynard (6-4) manager Laney Simone said. "You either go home and hide, or you go home and get mad and come back and win the next game. We're not going to go and hide. We don't have any hiding places. We'll be back for the next game."
While Neffs was scoring runs at will and banging out 17 hits, Matt Masarick was working his magic on the hill. The Martins Ferry grad mixed his pitches well in striking out five and walking two, both of those free passes coming with two outs in the seventh. He allowed three harmless singles and Maynard never had a runner reach second until the back-to-back base on balls.
"It's finally good to beat Maynard," said Masarick, who got a measure of redemption as he served up Cisar's game-winning blast. "My fastball and curve were really effective tonight."
Masarick needed 90 pitches in his complete-game effort, with 64 of those being strikes.
Ryan Jarvie had two of Maynard's three base knocks.
Francis led the winners' hitting parade with three singles and a double to knocked in two runs. Splenda (single, triple, rbi), Owens (single, double, 4rbi), Leonard (2 singles, 3rbi), Koch (2 singles, 2rbi) and Jon Nagel (single, double) also enjoyed multi-hit outings. Clark Kasprowski had a double.
Neffs travels to Crescent Friday night for a game with Barton. Maynard hosts West Liberty. Linescore:
Maynard 000 000 0 - 0 3 5
Neffs 077 030 x - 17 17 0
Batteries: Curry, Ripley (3), Schimmel (5), Smith (5) and McCormick. Masarick and Cla. Francis.
North can be reached at knorth@timesleaderonline.com
