‘Stangs Survive the Heat

Baseball is a way of life for many connected with the St. Joseph Mustangs franchise, especially through the middle months of summer. The Mustangs roster is no exception to this, as the team was scheduled to play a game a day for 15 days in a row, including the first multigame road trip of the season. The Mustangs were scheduled to play four games on the road from June 15 to June 18, that is until the final game against Chillicothe was rained out, giving St. Joseph a crucial rest day.

In the games that did take place, St. Joseph was able to grab two of three, dropping the first of the bunch against Clarinda 4-3. Although a tough loss, it makes for just the second loss 15 games into the season for the Mustangs. They bounced back to dominate in Nevada against the Griffons 13-0 and stole a game 7-3 at the Sedalia Bombers.

Bronco Whitt made his first start against Nevada Monday evening and came through for his team. Whitt pitched the first five innings, allowing just two hits, no runs and striking out two,

making the most of his only start of the year to this point. The Mustangs ended the week back home in St. Joseph. Phil Welch Stadium opened the gates Thursday night for the first of three games at home. The North Missouri Naturals came looking for a revenge victory, considering St. Joseph controlled the first game 11-0 on opening day.

The Naturals’ effort wasn’t enough to match the talent on the Mustangs’ roster as St. Joseph prevailed in another matchup, this time behind a successful Jaren Guck start. The Mustangs negated the Naturals 12-0.

Justin George came through at the plate by going two for four, adding a double, triple, walk and scoring three runs on the evening. Truman Bodenhausen of North Central Missouri College made an impact at the plate too, knocking in a pair to build a lead in the second inning and later in the fifth, causing trouble in the infield and giving Tyler Gundelfinger a blink to come across the plate. George and Bodenhausen kickstarted the offense to 10 hits and 12 runs. That makes the ninth time that St. Joseph produced double-digit hits in 16 games.

One of, if not the most competitive game of the season for St. Joseph took place when the Jeff City Renegades gave the Mustangs a run for their money Friday night. These clubs matched up earlier in the season on June 5, when the Mustangs forced a run-rule finish, winning the game 10-0.

This time around it wasn’t so easy for St. Joseph as they had to battle back from four runs down to steal another win away from a MINK League opponent, this time 13-8 over Jeff City.

It was a slow start for the Mustangs, who usually get out to early leads with Aron Harrington on the mound. Harrington came into Friday leading the MINK League in wins and second in strikeouts. The Renegades were able to jump on the starter early by putting up seven runs in the first three innings and keeping Harrington from his usual stellar performances.

That led to a four-run deficit St. Joseph faced twice in the first three innings, and both times the Mustangs had enough composure to claw back. Trevor McCollum ignited the St. Joseph offense with three hits on the evening in five at-bats. He racked up four RBIs, three runs scored and two stolen bases Friday in the Mustangs’ comeback victory.

The final game of the homestand was a slugfest Saturday night. The Carroll Merchants came back to St. Joseph for the second time this summer, after facing defeat in a 10-0 Mustangs triumph June 13. This time around the Merchants wouldn’t go away so quietly, although the Mustangs grabbed control late and escaped with a 10-8 win over Carroll.

The Merchants came out blazing in the early going of the contest. Carroll was able to rally for six runs in the third inning with no one on and two outs on starter Bronco Whitt. Lane

Chapman came into the game in the top of the fourth for the first time back from injury and stopped the bleeding long enough for St. Joseph to work themselves back into the game.

Chapman went four frames, allowing just one earned run and striking out four. It was a performance clutch enough to earn himself player of the game Saturday.

In need of a spark trailing by six runs, the offense came through once again for St. Joseph, and in an offense leading the MINK League in runs, stolen bases, runs batted in and fewest strikeouts, you’d expect nothing less. Truman Bodenhausen started the St. Joseph scoring after taking home on a wild pitch in the bottom of the third, which was quickly followed by a ball tattooed by Dom Felix into right-center, scoring two for the Mustangs. Brayden Luikart tied the game in the next inning with a two-RBI single, and the Mustangs wouldn’t look back.

Play will continue for the Mustangs through June 24. In that span they face Carroll, Jefferson City and Chillicothe, all on the road. June 26 is the start of a three-game homestand at Phil Welch Stadium, all of which are against MINK League opponents.

- Keaton Smith