The spring season is underway and the baseball team knew just how to open up their first-ever game. On a windy Friday evening, the Griffins took on the Benson Bunnies, looking to make a statement with their first-ever win. Going into the game, the players prepped in the weeks and months prior, waiting for the first pop of the glove signaling the beginning of a new era.
“Finally, it was spring and the first game for baseball was finally here,” head coach Darrell Everhart said. “So we talked about it as players it is now it’s our turn to finally prove it when we play.”
As the home team, the Griffins, started the game off in the field with junior Trevor Cox taking the mound, it was a perfect start to the game with a quick three up to the plate and three back to the dugout. The momentum was with the Griffins and they went to the bottom of the first inning looking to jump out early.
“It (the momentum) was good for us,” Cox said. “As a first-year school, it’s kind of cool to score 26 runs in the first inning. Our headspace is in the right spot going into the upcoming games.”
Leading off for the Griffins, sophomore third basemen Kasen Brown drew a walk and got on base early to start the bottom of the first inning. Junior catcher Easton Leahy stepped up to the plate with a chance to get the first hit in team history, and he did just that.
“It was great, but I got to give credit to my teammates,” Leahy said. “Yes you can look at it from a self-stand and say ‘Yes I got the first hit’ but it was really nice to get out there for the first game of the season and the first game in history and to be part of that team and that culture.”
The Griffins continued to dominate the Bunnies 13 to 0 as they continued to get on base. The Bunnies got two outs but could not come back rallying with what they already had, the Griffins weren’t done. They continued to add on runs, getting to the point where the score was already 20-0. The team went through the full lineup 3 times in the first inning, and it wouldn’t be until the score was 26-0 that the Bunnies would find the final out.
Everything was going in favor of the Griffins, and they continued that through the second inning, recording three more quick outs, and then scoring two runs in the bottom of the inning. After the quick inning, the third inning went by in a similar breeze with Cox swiftly shutting down three more batters and pilling on two more runs to put the score at 30-0.
With the mercy rule in play, they went to the top of the fourth inning with another milestone for a player: a perfect game. Cox hadn’t let a single batter on base and was looking to make more history in the first game. He did just that, sitting the final three batters down with ease, and ended the day with nine strikeouts through four innings pitched.
“We played good, did what we were able to do, and handled business,” junior Nolan Green said. “We’re going to do the same thing (against Bryan), aren’t going to worry about who’s on their team, just worry about handling our business.”
The Griffins look to continue their momentum after a solid start when they take on Omaha Westview tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. at Omaha Westview.
