By MATT PIKE
The St. Joseph Mustangs bounced back from their first loss of the season in a big way, scoring a 12-2 run rule win over the Jefferson City Renegades on Thursday afternoon at Phil Welch Stadium. It’s the second run rule win of the season, after the Mustangs beat the Nevada Griffons 11-1 in seven innings to open MINK league play last Saturday.
The Mustangs opened the scoring in the bottom of the first to take the lead as Dom Felix singled to drive in Darius Freeman. But in the second inning, the Renegades took their only lead of the game, scoring their only runs, as Dane Gray hit a single bringing home two runs as Alex DiGicianto and P.J. Green scored to take the 2-1 lead.
St. Joseph began to take the game over in the fifth inning though, first scoring three runs, Freeman driving in his first of five runs on the day on a single when Logan Miller scored. A groundout by Felix drove in another run, bringing home Trevor McCollum, and Freeman scored on a single by Jack Mosh, flipping the lead to 4-2 Mustangs.
Two more runs scored in the sixth, courtesy of Freeman reaching on an error, Miller and Savannah alum Truman Bodenhausen coming across to score. The seventh saw the Mustangs break the lead open even more, with a five run frame, starting with a bases loaded walk to Northwest Missouri State’s Parker Griffith, driving in Felix, extending the lead to 7-2.
The scoring run continued in the seventh, Bodenhausen singling next to drive in Benton alum Chris Coy and Justin George. Two more runs scored on another single by Freeman, bringing across Griffith and Bodenhausen. St. Joseph walked it off in the eighth inning, Bodenhausen singling to score Coy.
East Buchanan alum Bronco Whitt pitched two scoreless innings of relief, after starter Landon Reith pitched three innings. Whitt gave up no hits and struck out two batters. Reith gave up the only hits to the Renegades on the night. At the plate, Freeman was the leader going 3-for-5 with 5 RBI’s and two stolen bases, also getting a triple on the night.
The Mustangs are now 4-1 on the season, and 2-0 in the MINK League, and will next play the Chillicothe Mudcats at Phil Welch Stadium tomorrow. First pitch is at 7pm, gates will open at 5:30.
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.
