By MATT PIKE
The St. Joseph Mustangs played a doubleheader in Chillicothe, making up a rained out game from last week, winning the first matchup 5-1 before seeing a rally in the seventh inning fall short in game two, falling 7-6.
In the first game, Chillicothe took the lead first in the opening frame of the game, Jarian Pickney scoring on a wild pitch But after a lengthy rain delay in the third inning, the Mustangs came back to take the lead in the inning, scoring four runs as play resumed.
Logan Miller tied the game up, reaching on a fielders choice and driving in Trevor McCollum. Darius Freeman blasted St. Joseph ahead with a three run home run, scoring Miller and Savannah alum Truman Bodenhausen for the lead. The Mustangs scored their final run in the fifth inning, Dom Felix reaching on an error and bringing home Northwest Missouri State’s Parker Griffith.
Sam Pitts earned the win, pitching four innings of relief and giving up just one hit, also striking out one. At the plate in the opener, Freeman was 2-for-4 with the home run and three RBI’s. Jack Mosh was 2-for-2 with a walk.
In the second game, the Mustangs opened the scoring first with a double from Justin George driving in Darius Freeman unearned. But in the bottom half the Mudcats tied up the game as Jarian Pickney stole home while Jordi Ventura was caught stealing at second base.
St. Joseph scored another run in the third inning to take the lead back, Dom Felix singling to score Freeman. In the bottom half of the inning Chillicothe took the lead scoring two runs, first tying the game with Pickney coming home on a double by Peyton Becker. Becker later scored on a groundout by Tanner Sears.
Trailing 3-2, the Mustangs grabbed the lead behind a three run fourth inning. Savannah alum Truman Bodenhausen’s groundout allowed Lafayette alum Jayden little to come home and score the tying run, before Logan Miller reached on an error giving St. Joseph the lead as Tyler Gundelfinger scored unearned. A single by Freeman extended the lead driving in Northwest Missouri State’s Parker Griffith for a 5-3 lead.
The Mustangs got one more run in the fifth inning, a bases loaded walk to Bodenhausen scoring George, before the Mudcats took the lead for good in the bottom half of the inning scoring four runs. Chillicothe first cut the lead to one with a two RBI single by Ventura, scoring Becker and Pickney, and then tied up the game when Ventura scored on a single by John Spoto. A double by Fradnie Fernandez drove in Spoto to extend the lead.
East Buchanan alum Gage Busby took the loss in relief, pitching two innings and giving up four runs on six hits, striking out three and walking one. At the plate in the loss, George led the way going 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, and an RBI. Felix was 2-for-4 with an RBI, Lafayette alum Jayden Little was also 2-for-4.
The Mustangs are now 19-3 on the season, 14-2 in the MINK League. The Mustangs return to Phil Welch Stadum tomorrow, taking on the St. Joe All Stars. First pitch is at 6:30, gates open at 5:15.
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.
