Jefferson City scored five runs in the second and five more runs in the fourth inning to build an insurmountable lead over Joplin before going on to a 15-10 win on Thursday in MINK League action at Joe Becker Stadium.
The Renegades (4-4) used a pair of long balls in the third inning to take a five-run cushion before the Outlaws (4-7) answered with three two-out runs touching home in the last of the third inning before Jeff City responded with five more runs in the top of the fourth inning to separate from Joplin further. The Renegades added a run in the sixth and another in the seventh to cushion the lead before Joplin scored a run in the bottom of the seventh to keep the deficit at 12-6. Jeff City put the finishing touches on the win with a three-run ninth inning, though the Outlaws were able to plate four in the last of the ninth to cut the lead to five.
ON THE MOUND
Caleb Caraker started and earned the win for Jeff City after allowing five runs on five hits, five walks and two strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings of work. Tanner Schmitz allowed one run on two hits and two walks in 1 2/3 relief innings. Grayson Eierman allowed four runs on three hits and four walks in 1 1/3 relief innings, while Ian Nolph pitched 2/3 of an inning of scoreless baseball.
James Yamasaki started on the bump for Joplin and took the loss after allowing five runs on four hits, a walk and two strikeouts in two innings of work. George Fisher worked 1 2/3 innings in relief and allowed five runs on five hits, three walks and a strikeout. Michel Kinson and Brett Graham each allowed a run in relief. Joplin product Josh Harryman walked one in 1/3 of a relief inning. Jared Wells allowed three runs on four hits and a walk in two innings.
GAME ACTION
Jeff City got on the board first with a run in the top of the second running off an RBI groundout from TJ Racherbaumer before Levi Masloski followed up with a two-out, two-run into the bleachers in left-center field to give the Renegades a 3-0 advantage. Two batters later, Ross Lovich launched a two-run blast over the wall in right-center to push the lead to 5-0.
Joplin cut into the lead when Garrett Chun singled to right field with two outs to plate Max Bruff to trim the deficit to 5-1. Sam Fagan followed up with a two-run triple to left-center with two outs to make the score 5-3.
Jeff City answered back in the top of the fourth inning when Lovich yanked a ball over the wall in right field for a two-run home run, his second of the game, for a 7-3 advantage. The eighth run for the Renegades came home on a bases-loaded walk with two outs by Taylor Hopkins. Racherbaumer added a two-out, two-run single later in the inning to extend the advantage to 10-3.
The Renegades added a run in the top of the sixth on an RBI groundout from Lovich, while Joplin scored twice in the bottom half after a run came home on a bases-loaded walk and a balk to make the score 11-5. Jeff City added to the lead with a two-out run in the top of the seventh to push the lead to 12-5.
Joplin product Kohl Cooper came through with an RBI single to left in the bottom of the seventh to cut Joplin’s deficit to 12-6.
Jeff City pushed across a run in the ninth on a Joplin throwing error before a second came home on a second throwing error. A third run came home on a Caleb Ott RBI single.
Michael Long highlighted the four-run bottom of the ninth with an RBI single.
ON DECK
Nevada is back in Joplin to take on the Outlaws with a 7 p.m. start time on Friday at Joe Becker Stadium.
