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MINK LEAGUE: Outlaws rally past Renegades 9-7 to jump back in front of division standings

By:
Lucas Davis

Joplin rallied multiple times en route to a 9-7 win over Jefferson City to climb back on top of the MINK League South Division standings on Tuesday at Joe Becker Stadium.

After the Renegades scored a run in the top of the first, the Outlaws rallied with a two-run bottom half of the inning thanks to a home run ball to get out in front. Jeff City added a single tally in the top of the fourth to tie the game, but a two-run fifth gave Joplin a 4-2 advantage. An error with two outs by Joplin in the top of the sixth allowed Jeff City to score five unanswered runs, but the Outlaws rallied again with a three-run sixth to tie the game at 7-7 before scoring twice more with two outs in the seventh to go ahead 9-7.

“After the way things went down the last couple of nights, this win was huge,” Joplin manager Chris Dawson said. “I am going to get asked who the standout player was and I don’t know who to answer. This was a total team effort tonight. … Games like this can really turn a season around. So, hopefully, that is the case.”

SOUTH DIVISION UPDATE

With the win, the Outlaws moved back into the top spot in the division race with an 11-10 record. Jeff City is in second at 12-13. Sedalia is in third at 11-13 and Nevada is in fourth at 10-15

SUMMER CLASSIC

Joplin will be well represented at the MINK League All-Star Game, with five Outlaws earning recognition—pitchers Jack O’Brien, Justin Schrader, Christian DeJesus as well as infielder Logan Cline and outfielder Drake Angeron. The all-star game will be held in Jeff City on July 8.

“Hats off to those guys,” Dawson said about the all-star nominations. “We got to see Schrader last night and what he brings. You got to see Jack O’Brien and Christian DeJesus tonight and what they bring to this team. Logan Cline has been the rock of this lineup since Day 1. … Jake had a good start. He slowed down a little but he is getting back into it. Those five guys are all deserving and I am proud of all of them.”

ON THE MOUND

Masayuki Maruhashi earned the start and took a no-decision for the Outlaws after allowing two runs on two hits, five walks and five strikeouts in three innings. Austin Gottula gave up five unearned runs in 2.2 relief innings, allowing one hit, walking four and striking out one. DeJesus earned the win in relief after blanking the Renegades over 1 1/3 innings, allowing one hit and a walk while striking out two. O’Brien pitched a scoreless inning and struck out one, while Reese Weaks earned the save after allowing one hit and striking out one in a scoreless ninth inning.

Braydon Boyer started and took a no-decision for the Renegades after allowing four runs on five hits, two walks and four strikeouts in five innings. Shane Fontenot took the loss after allowing two runs on three hits, two walks and three strikeouts in two relief innings.

GAME ACTION

Jeff City took the initial lead in the top of the first inning when David Dell crossed home on a groundout by Carter Mize, but the Outlaws wasted little time answering back in the bottom half of the frame. After Logan Cline singled to lead off the bottom of the first, Caleb Feuerstake ripped a one-out, two-run homer two batters later to put Joplin on top 2-1.

The Renegades tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the fourth after a run scored on a 5-3 double play.

Joplin rallied in the last of the fifth when Feuerstake singled home a run to give the Outlaws a 3-2 lead. Ethan Ellis followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to plate the second run of the inning, increasing the lead to 4-2.

Jeff City seemingly turned the tide after taking advantage of a crucial error by the Outlaws, who had two in the frame, in the sixth inning. On what looked to be an inning-ending 4-3 groundout with runners on second and third, the putout toss was dropped at first to allow an unearned run to score and cut the lead to 4-3. Two batters later with the bases loaded, Mize deposited the ball over the wall for a grand slam to put the Renegades in front 7-4.

Joplin refused to go away, as Brett Wiemers walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth before coming around to score on a Jeff City throwing error following a single from Brandon Ulmer to make the score 7-5. The Outlaws loaded the bases later in the inning with no outs and Logan Cline flew out to deep right for a sac fly to trim the margin to 7-6. Two batters later with the bases loaded again, Ellis reached on an infield hit to plate the tying run.

“That was probably the biggest inning of baseball we’ve had all summer,” Dawson said. “As soon as the top half of that inning ended, I pulled the offense over and told them we have been in scoring position all game long. They haven’t kept us off the bases, we’ve had our chances, we just have to keep it going and break through. They decided to respond right away. Top to bottom, the offense did amazing tonight.”

Joplin took the lead in the last of the seventh when Ethan Lopez, who fell in an 0-2 hole, worked the count full before singling to left field with two outs to plate Wiemers, who singled to lead off the inning, to make the score 8-7. Lopez came around to score on a wild pitch later in the inning to push the lead to 9-7.

“That was the biggest at-bat of the night,” Dawson said of Lopez’s plate appearance in the seventh. “Not in a negative way or anything, but he was a pest. Just a gnat at a barbeque that you can’t get rid of in that at-bat. It was awesome to see. I think it was an 11-pitch at-bat and it was just fastball after fastball. Ethan kept doing what he does and finally was able to time up the pitch and put it where he needed to. That was the biggest at-bat of the game by far, probably the biggest at-bat of the summer so far.”

IN THE BOX

Feuerstake led Joplin with three hits, including a home run, three RBI and two runs scored. Wiemers had two hits and scored twice, while Ellis picked up two RBI on one hit. Cline had a hit, scored twice and drove in one.

Mize had a grand slam for one of his two hits and finished with a game-high five RBI as well as a run scored to lead the Renegades.

UP NEXT

Joplin hosts Sedalia for a 7 p.m. matchup on Wednesday at Joe Becker Stadium. 

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