Nevada, MO. (June 13, 2021) - The St. Joseph Mustangs hit the ground running in their first of four straight road games, beating the Nevada Griffons by a final score of 23-6.
The scoring barrage got started right away, with RF Sam Kissane batting-in lead off hitter Noah Bodenhousen in the 1st inning. After a 5-run first inning, the team matched their run total in the 2nd frame thanks to four Mustangs hits, pushing the score to 10-2.
The damage continued in the 3rd inning. After getting their first two outs over the course of four STJ batters without any runs, the Mustangs went on to have nine cross the plate. The entire lineup went to bat at least once that inning, collecting two doubles, two base-hits, and a 3-run home run off of Brady Holden’s bat - his first of the season. St. Joe would leave the inning with no men left on base and a 19-2 lead - their largest lead of the night.
It was all downhill for the home team after that, the Griffons ending the evening with nine errors, only eight hits to St. Joseph’s 22 total knocks. In his second start of the season, Mustangs pitcher Mack Stephenson struck-out seven of 24 batters faced in 4.0 IP while giving up only four hits, earning his first win of the 2021 M.I.N.K season. Nevada starter Dustin Niles received the loss.
All but one Mustang in the starting lineup left with a hit and a run scored. Leading the herd was Ryosuke Tada and Ike Book who each had a four-hit, four-run performance. Michael Paule after being HBP in his first two at-bats, collected three hits and three runs, while catcher Coleman Fenton had his first multi-hit performance in a Mustangs uni, leaving Lyons Stadium with two singles and a double. Please note, Pointstreak has had technical issues and incorrectly shows the final score as 23-6.
The 23 runs scored by the Mustangs on Sunday night was the most by any team in the M.I.N.K. League this season and the most since the 2017 season when Clarinda sent 24 across the dish in a single game. With the win, St. Joseph moves to (4-4) on the year, (1-1) vs. the Griffons. The Mustangs are back in action today, Monday June, 14 as they travel to Liberty Park to take on the M.I.N.K. League South last-place Sedalia Bombers (2-3), who dropped their last contest 13-1 at Joplin.
