Joplin scored in each of the first four innings to build an insurmountable lead on the way to a 13-3 win in seven innings over Carroll in the regular season home finale on Tuesday at Joe Becker Stadium.
Joplin scored a single tally in each of the first two innings before two runs crossed in the third inning to push the lead to 4-0. The Outlaws separated themselves from the Merchants with a four-run fourth inning to extend the advantage to 8-0. Carroll added two runs in the top of the fifth to get on the board but Joplin matched with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Joplin and Carroll exchanged runs in the sixth inning before Joplin ended the contest via run rule with two more runs touching in the seventh.
ON DECK
The win is also the ninth straight for the Outlaws, who hold a first-place record of 23-18 in the MINK League South Division. Joplin, which last lost on July 9 to the St. Joe Mustangs, closes out the regular season with two games against Jefferson City at 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday before wrapping up the regular season with a matchup against Sealia on Saturday.
ON THE MOUND
AJ Moreno started and earned the win for Joplin after allowing two runs on five hits, two walks and five strikeouts in five innings of work. Connor Peck allowed one run on one hit, two walks and two strikeouts in two relief innings.
Noah Dutler took the loss after allowing eight runs, seven earned, on six hits, three walks and three strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings. Garrett Freeman allowed five runs, three earned, on six hits, three walks and three strikeouts in 3 1/3 relief innings.
GAME ACTION
Joplin’s first run of the game came home on an error in the first inning before Carson Carpenter picked up the Outlaws’ first RBI with a solo home run in the bottom of the second.
Jordan Sheridan and Korrey Siracusa each added a sacrifice fly in the third inning to push the lead to 4-0.
In the bottom of the fourth, Joplin doubled up Carroll with four runs touching the plate. Liam Bailey brought home a run with an RBI single to right field before Jakob Machuca doubled to center field to score another run. Sheridan added his second RBI of the game with a bases-loaded walk before Siracusa ended the scoring with a sac fly to right field.
Jordan Matthewson doubled to center field to plate Carroll’s first run in the fifth before Bennett Frieter brought a run home on an RBI groundout.
Bailey had a sac fly in the bottom of the fifth before Machuca tripled a run home. After each team traded runs in the seventh, Joplin pushed two more insurance runs across in the last of the seventh on a two-run single from Siracusa to end the game via run rule.
