By MATT PIKE
The St. Joseph Mustangs matched their second longest winning streak of the season, beating the Nevada Griffons for a second day in a row 8-2 at Phil Welch Stadium to end a three game homestand, pushing their win streak to eight games.
Nevada opened the scoring in the first inning Bryce Humphrey grounding out to shortstop and Benton alum Chris Coy, driving in Trae Burton, but from there starting pitcher Ian Dittmer would settle in, not allowing another run before being replaced to start the fifth inning.
While Dittmer left with a no decision, he did leave with the lead after the Mustangs scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the lead. Lafayette alum Brayden Luikart singled to open the inning and advanced to second on a throwing error, but the bases ended up loaded after Dom Felix and Justin George were both hit by pitches. Bishop LeBlond alum Frank Gall brough home the tying run on a fielders choice, George getting thrown out at second, and Luikart scoring.
The bases were reloaded as Coy was hit by a pitch, the third hit batter of the inning, and a run would score on yet another hit batter with Lafayette alum Jayden Little getting hit by a pitch to give the Mustangs the lead as Felix came home. The bases still loaded, Northwest Missouri State’s Parker Griffith singled to drive in two more runs and extend the lead, scoring Coy and Gall, and moving Little to second. A double steal and a walk to Tyler Gundelfinger loaded the bases again, and Central alum Logan Miller reached on a fielders choice to drive in Little to give St. Joseph a 5-1 lead.
The Griffons scored their final run in the fifth inning as East Buchanan alum Bronco Whitt took the mound and loaded the bases hitting three consecutive batters before with out Nick Kaelin reached on a fielders choice, driving in Burton who scored on an error by the first baseman Little.
The Mustangs added one run in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by Miller, driving in Little, and scored their final two runs in the seventh inning with a two RBI single by Gall, bringing home George and Felix, Felix having singled to open the inning and George being walked.
It was a rough day command wise for both Mustangs and Griffons pitchers. Combined pitchers hit 15 batters. Griffons starter Lucas Snyder hit seven batters. Both Dittmer and Whitt for the Mustangs hit three batters.
Whitt earned the win pitching three innings and giving up no hits and one unearned run while striking out five. At the plate, there wasn’t much hitting as the Mustangs had just five hits and the Griffons had three. Gall was 1-for-5 with a stolen base and three RBI’s. Griffith was 1-for-1 with a walk, a stolen base, and two RBIs
The Mustangs are now 29-5 and 23-4 in the MINK League. They travel next for a four game road trip, starting on Sunday in the capitol city taking on the Jefferson City Renegades in a doubleheader. The first game will begin at 4pm with game two starting at 7pm. Both games will be seven innings.
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.
