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MINK LEAGUE: Joplin run rules Chillicothe 16-6 in seven innings

By:
Lucas Davis

Coming off a five-game road trip, Joplin scored in each of the first five innings on the way to a 16-6 seven-inning win against Chillicothe in MINK League action on Thursday at Joe Becker Stadium. 

The Mudcats scored two runs in the top of the first to take the initial advantage before the Outlaws (6-5) plated five runs in the bottom of the first to take control of the game. Joplin added two runs in the second, a run in the third, three more runs in the fourth and four runs in the fifth to build a 15-4 advantage before ending the game via run rule in the seventh inning.

Joplin totaled 16 runs on 17 total hits as a team.

“I think that day off (on Wednesday) after a five-day road trip was heavenly,” Joplin coach Chris Dawson said. “Sleeping in hotels and not really eating the greatest, to get home and take a day off just to relax and get the body going was good for our guys.

“We challenged them after Tuesday. We were not happy with our offense on Monday and Tuesday up at Clarinda. We thought we had chances to break a game open or hang with them and we didn’t. So, we challenged our offense Tuesday after the game and they came out and responded. It was good to see. Hope we can keep it going.” 

ON THE MOUND

Steen Lane started and took a no-decision for Joplin after allowing two unearned runs in three innings of work. He allowed three hits, walked two and struck out five. Webb City’s Cale McCallister earned the win in relief after allowing four runs, three earned, on two hits, two walks and two strikeouts in three innings. Jack O’Brien pitched a scoreless inning and struck out two.

Mitch Alba took the loss after allowing seven runs, five earned, in two innings. He allowed six hits, walked four and struck out two for the Mudcats.

Outlaws starting pitcher Steen Lane delivers a pitch to the plate against Chillicothe on Thursday night.

GAME ACTION

Chillicothe took the initial lead after scoring a pair of runs in the top of the first after Greyson Barrett and Wes Brandsgaard each came through with RBI singles.

Joplin wasted little time answering back, sending 10 men to the plate in the bottom of the first on the way to scoring five runs, four with two outs, to take a foothold on the lead.

“To answer (their runs) with a five (spot), a two, a one, a three and a four, when you do that you’re going to probably win a lot,” Dawson said about his team’s offensive output.

Cade Lott got the scoring started after singling home Logan Cline, who had a one-out double, to cut the deficit in half 2-1. The Outlaws tied the game when Lawson Faria drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk to force in a run. Calen Protaskey followed with a two-run single to right-center to give Joplin a 4-2 advantage. Jeb Jenkins came up with an RBI single through the left side to wrap the scoring and push the lead to 5-2.

“That kid had a great day,” Dawson said of Protaskey. “I think he had seven RBI and three or four hits. He had a great game.”

Logan Cline rounds third base and heads for home during Joplin’s big first inning against the Chillicothe Mudcats.

Joplin added two runs in the bottom of the second. The first run came home on a double play ball off the bat of Lott to extend the lead to 6-2. Brett Wiemers added an RBI double later in the inning to make the score 7-2.

The Outlaws continued to put runs on the board in the third when Jenkins came through with an RBI double to left-center with no outs to make the score 8-2.

Chillicothe cut the lead to 8-4 in the top of the fourth after a run scored on a bases-loaded double play and another on a throwing error by Joplin later in the frame.

Lott led off the fourth with a walk for the Outlaws before ultimately scoring on a wild pitch to make the score 9-4. Protaskey followed with a two-out, two-run bomb to right-center to extend the lead to 11-4. 

Ethan Ellis ripped a one-out, two-run homer in the last of the fifth to push the Outlaws’ advantage to 13-4. Drake Angeron added a two-run single later in the inning to make the score 15-4.

“It was a lineup today that didn’t really have any breaks,” Dawson said. “And the guys just kept going. No one really fell into trying to do too much. Guys were just sticking with their approaches and hitting the ball hard. … It was just a good offensive day in total today. We ran the bases well, hit well, drew walks and answered adversity early.”

Chillicothe scored twice in the top of the sixth to cut the lead to nine runs, but Protaskey came up with a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch with no outs in the seventh to force home the winning run via run rule.

Joplin Outlaws infielder Jared Toler (24) is congratulated by (22) Calen Protaskey after scoring a run against the Chillicothe Mudcats on Thursday night at Joe Becker Stadium. Photos by Jason Peake.

IN THE BOX

Protaskey led the Outlaws at the plate with four hits, including a home run, a game-high seven RBI and two runs scored. Ellis homered, had two hits, scored four times and drove in two. Cline doubled, had two hits, scored four times and drove in two, while Wiemers went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI. Faria had a hit, scored three times and drove in one.

UP NEXT

Joplin hosts Chillicothe at 7 p.m. on Friday at Joe Becker Stadium.

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