Joplin built an early 4-2 lead before Jefferson City scored six times in the sixth inning and held off the Outlaws late for an 8-6 MINK League South Division win on Wednesday at Joe Becker Stadium.
The game was scoreless after three innings until the Renegades plated two runs in the fourth to take the initial advantage. Joplin answered back with a three-run fourth inning and another run in the fifth to go up 4-2. Jefferson City touched home six times in the sixth inning to steal the momentum. The Outlaws scored twice in the ninth inning to trim the lead to two and had the winning run at the plate, but the Renegades staved off Joplin for the win.
DIVISION RACE
With the loss, Joplin falls to 12-16 and sits in fourth place in the South Division. Sedalia (16-15) is in first, with Nevada (14-45) in second and Jefferson City (13-16) in third.
ON THE MOUND
Jeff City’s Dylan Dunbar started and took a no-decision after allowing four runs, two earned, on five hits, a walk and three strikeouts in four innings. Shane Fontenot earned the win in relief after pitching four scoreless frames, not allowing a hit while walking one and striking out three. Kolin Demel allowed two runs on three hits and three strikeouts in one relief inning.
Carl Junction native and Missouri Southern Lion Jeremiah Kennedy started for Joplin and took the loss after allowing six runs on eight hits and three strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Clayton Saporito allowed two runs on one hit and two walks in 1/3 of an inning in relief. Christian DeJesus pitched 1 1/3 scoreless relief innings on a walk and two strikeouts. Justin Schrader pitched two scoreless innings in relief and struck out five.
GAME ACTION
After three scoreless innings, Jefferson City used two-out magic to take the lead when Tommy Ruether singled to left-center with runners on second and third to score both and give the Renegades a 2-0 advantage.
The Outlaws rallied back in the bottom half of the inning to take the lead. With runners at first and third and no outs. Caleb Feuerstake, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, scored from third after the throw to second on a stolen base attempt by Logan Cline ended up in center field to make the score 2-1. Cline, who reached on an error, came around to score on an RBI single from Ethan Ellis to tie the game at 2-2. Ellis scored later in the inning on a fielder’s choice groundout from Cade Lott to give Joplin the lead.
Brett Wiemers led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a single before coming around to score an insurance run later in the frame on an RBI groundout by Cline to push the Outlaws’ lead to 4-2.
Jefferson City responded in the top of the sixth when Drew Mize led off with a double before scoring on a David Dell single to trim the deficit to 4-3. Brady Voss connected for a one-out ground rule double later in the inning to plate Dell and tie the game at 4s while forcing Kennedy from the game. The Renegades took the lead later in the inning when Caden Diel drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the go-ahead run. Voss scored on a wild pitch moments later with the bases still loaded to push the lead to 6-4. Josef Keilholz doubled to right to plate two more runs and push the lead to 8-4.
Joplin loaded the bases with one out in the last of the ninth and clawed within two of the lead following a two-out, two-run single off the bat of Jared Toler to make the score 8-6. The rally ended there as a strikeout in the next at-bat ended the game.
IN THE BOX
Ruether, Voss and Keilholz each had two hits to lead Jefferson City. Ruether and Keilholz, who doubled twice, each drove in two and scored one, while Voss, who had a double, finished with an RBI and a run scored.
Wiemers and Toler collected three hits each, with Wiemers scoring twice and Toler driving in two to lead Joplin. Feuerstake had two hits and two runs scored, while Ellis had two hits, scored a run and drove in one.
UP NEXT
Joplin hosts Nevada at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Joe Becker Stadium.
