Another big win as Mustangs top Chillicothe 11-4

By MATT PIKE

The St. Joseph Mustangs scored another big win in MINK league play to stay undefeated in league play, beating the Chillicothe Mudcats 11-4 at Phil Welch Stadium on Friday evening. 

The Mustangs started off in dominant fashion too, shutting out the Mudcats through the first five innings.  St. Joseph got on the board in the first inning thanks to Benton alum Chris Coy singling into left field, driving in Lafayette alum Brayden Luikart and Dom Felix for a quick 2-0 lead. 

Things broke open in the fourth inning as the Mustangs put up four runs, the biggest coming on the first home run of the season in St. Joseph, courtesy of Northwest Missouri State’s Parker Griffith, a solo shot to left field.  A sacrifice fly by Darius Freeman later in the inning extended the lead more, driving in Tyler Gundelfinger, before Felix singled to left to bring home Logan Miller and Lafayette alum Jayden Little, pushing the lead to 6-0. 

Three more runs scored in the fifth inning, first with Little driving in Griffith on an RBI single.  Little later scored on a single from Freeman, which also drove in Miller and gave St. Joseph a 9-0 lead at the end of five innings. 

Chillicothe found their way onto the scoreboard in the sixth inning with a three run frame, hitting the second home run of the game as Luke DeWitt, who also pitched two innings of relief for the Mudcats, hit a two run home run, scoring John Spoto.  Jordi Ventura came across home later in the inning on a groundout by Ethan Murakoshi, cutting the Mustangs lead to 9-3. 

But St. Joseph never wavered, adding the final two runs in the seventh inning.  Freeman’s sacrifice fly scored Miller, for Freeman’s fourth RBI of the game.  Later in the inning Felix doubled to drive in Luikart for the final Mustangs run.  Over the last two games, Freeman has now driven in nine runs, after driving in five on Thursday against Jefferson City.

Murakoshi singled to left field in the eighth inning for the Mudcats, driving in Aiden Baerenklau for the final run of the game.

Aron Harrington got the win for the Mustangs, pitching five shutout innings, striking out six and giving up two hits while walking three.  At the plate, Felix was 3-for-4 with three RBI’s and a walk.  Griffith was 1-for-2 with the home run and two walks, he also stole two bases in the win.  Freeman was 1-for-4 with the four RBI’s. 

The Mustangs have one more home game tomorrow, before they hit the road for the first time on Tuesday.  It will be the annual matchup between the St. Joseph Mustangs and the Mustangs alumni on Saturday at Phil Welch Stadium.  First pitch is at 7pm, gates open at 5:30.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.