By MATT PIKE
The St. Joseph Mustangs split a doubleheader on the road against the Joplin Jailbirds, a day after their game against Joplin was postponed due to weather, losing the first game 5-4 but winning game two 5-2.
In the first of the two seven inning games, the Mustangs fell behind the Jailbirds early, giving up two runs in the first inning on a two run home run by Landin Midgett. In the fourth inning, St. Joseph cut the lead in half scoring a run with an RBI single from Micah Kobuszewsk, driving in Lafayette alum Brayden Luikart after he singled to open the inning, making it 2-1 Joplin at the end of four innings.
In the sixth, the Mustangs took a brief lead scoring two runs with an RBI single by Tyler Gundelfinger scoring Kobuszewski and Atchison alum Boston Bruce, for a 3-2 lead. But in the bottom half, Joplin scored three to retake the lead as Caden Carter gave up a three run home run to Drew Vonder Harr. St. Joseph did add a final run in the seventh inning with an RBI single from Bruce, bringing home Benton alum Chris Coy, advancing Luikart to second. But with two outs, Lafayette alum Jayden Little struck out to end game one with the 5-4 loss.
Carter took the loss in game one, giving up three runs on two hits in one inning pitched. At the plate in the opener, Bruce was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. Luikart was 1-for-2 with two walks and a stolen base, scoring a run.
In the second game, Joplin again took the first lead of the game on the Mustangs, this time though only scoring a single run in the first inning as Vonder Harr reached on a fielders choice. In the third inning, St. Joseph took the lead on a two RBI single from Bruce, driving in Luikart and Missouri Western's Seth Winkler for a 2-1 lead. The Mustangs held that lead until they extended it in the final inning, scoring three runs in the seventh.
With two outs, and two runners on after walks to Kobuszewski and Luikart, Bruce drove in his third run of the game with an RBI single, scoring Kobuszewski. Joplin loaded the bases, walking Little, and then brought home another run in Luikart after hitting Gundelfinger with a pitch before a bases loaded walk to Eden Meyers drove in the final run of the game for the Mustangs, scoring Bruce. Trailing 5-1, the Jailbirds scored their final run in the bottom half with Midgett bringing home a run on a groundout.
Coy earned the win on the mound pitching 6.1 innings and giving up two runs on five hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Haru Takekawa earned his first save pitching the final two outs clean. At the plate in game two, Bruce was 2-for-4 with three RBI's. Luikart was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring two runs. Gundelfinger was 0-for-3 with an RBI, while Meyers was 0-for-2 with an RBI and two walks.
The Mustangs are now 10-8 on the season, 8-7 in MINK League play, and will return to Clarinda tomorrow to face the A's.
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