A committee formed by the Missouri Association of Counties is working to find solutions to help get mentally ill people treatment, rather than incarceration. 

Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett, a member of that committee, says on any given day Missouri jails could be holding 190 to 200 mentally ill inmates as they wait for beds in mental health facilities. 

"Often times those individuals sit between 8 to 12 months and the issue with that is the staffing in jails are not designed, or do they have the resources, to deal with individuals in mental health crisis," Puett tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr. 

Puett says the committee is working hard to make sure they get people and resources where they need to be to help the mentally ill.

"Because it is not just a jail issue, it is a community issue and a jail issue combined, and we want to make sure that we're trying to get these folks where they need to be," Puett says. 

Puett says most jails that are housing such patients aren't suited for them, mainly because the staff isn't qualified to deal with these mental health issues.

"A lot of staff in jails, and even prisons, are not trained with psychiatric training obviously that's not their forte or their business," Puett explains. 

Puett says trying to deal with people in crisis and not having the proper training is a big reason why it's important to get these inmates to a proper mental health facility.

<i>You can follow Matt on Twitter at @KfeqMatt or follow St. Joseph Post at @StJosephPost</i>

Too many Missouri jails house too many mentally ill inmates

USDA Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Undersecretary Alexis Taylor Monday launched an agribusiness trade mission to Japan. 

The U.S. delegation includes representatives from 11 state departments of agriculture, numerous farm organizations, and 40 agribusinesses looking to connect with future business partners in Japan. 

Taylor says, "As one of the largest world economies, Japan is one of the top and most reliable trading partners for the United States." 

Japan is one of the top and most reliable trading partners for the United States. Every year over the past two decades, Japan has imported at least $10 billion worth of U.S. food and agriculture products, reaching a record-high $14.6 billion in 2022. 

Throughout the week, USDA will help facilitate business-to-business meetings between participating small and medium-sized U.S. agribusinesses and Japanese buyers seeking to import American food and farm products. 

The trade mission itinerary also includes meetings with Japanese and local government officials and industry groups to discuss trade issues and unique opportunities.

USDA kicks off Agribusiness Trade Mission to Japan

With the summer driving season now underway, the nation's average price of gasoline declined 3.9 cents from a week ago to $3.51 per gallon. 

The national average diesel price fell 3.4 cents last week and is $3.88 per gallon. 

However, GasBuddy's Patrick De Haan warns OPEC could change the course of fuel prices this summer. OPEC+ agreed Sunday to additional production cuts, while Saudi Arabia is going above and beyond and cutting July production. 

As a result, De Haan says, "oil prices are likely to see upward pressure as global supplies, which have remained tight, promise to become even tighter as a result." 

Oil prices could rally this week and push fuel prices higher, but De Haan says any rise in average prices should be fairly small. U.S. retail gasoline demand saw a 2.3 percent fall last week, with the most common U.S. gas price at $3.39 per gallon.

OPEC could derail fuel price declines

For more than 50 years, thousands of FFA members from across the country have converged in our nation's capital each summer to engage with legislators, hone civic engagement and leadership skills, and create community impact projects to take back to their cities and towns. 

National FFA Organization members are in Washington, D.C., this week as part of the National FFA Organization's Washington Leadership Conference. 

The more than 50-year tradition brings thousands of FFA members to Washington, D.C., to interact with legislators, hone civic engagement and leadership skills, and create community impact projects. 

More than 2,000 FFA members from throughout the country are expected to attend the 2023 conference. FFA members will spend the week under the guidance of agricultural and leadership professionals, facilitators, and FFA staff. 

FFA members will also have the unique opportunity to participate in congressional visits with legislators from their states during the week. Members can share concerns and challenges from their communities and discuss agricultural-related legislation.

FFA members attending Washington Leadership Conference

The U.S. Trade Representative’s Office announced that it is filing a dispute settlement under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement in response to Mexico’s ban on biotech corn for human consumption. 

The National Corn Growers Association has called on the administration to act and praised the development. 

“Mexico’s actions, not based on sound science, have threatened the financial well-being of corn growers and rural communities,” says NCGA President Tom Haag. 

Under the agreement, once a dispute settlement gets filed, a group of objective experts will hear the case and make a final determination based on the commitments of both parties under the free trade agreement. 

Tai says Mexico’s measures are inconsistent with several of its obligations in the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and Market Access chapters of the agreement. 

“The USMCA was written to ensure that all producers in the three countries have full access to each other’s markets,” says Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack. &nbsp;

USTR to initiate USMCA dispute settlement with Mexico

A bipartisan group of congressional members is asking U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai to prioritize ethanol export competitiveness and address unfair import tariffs Brazil has in place on U.S. ethanol. 

The letter, signed by 21 members, highlighted the importance of biofuel and ethanol production for rural communities throughout the country. 

Recently announced import tariffs by Brazil on American ethanol would negatively impact American agriculture, which previously received duty-free treatment from Brazil. 

“We believe the tariff imbalance is unjustified and puts American ethanol and farmers at risk,” the letter says. “We strongly urge you to prioritize American ethanol export competitiveness in the Brazilian market by addressing these unfair policies.” 

The letter also says should Brazil’s unfair treatment continue, the lawmakers then stand ready to work with Tai to consider measures that protect American farmers and biofuel producers to help counter these unfair trade practices. Brazil’s tariff was reinstated on February 1.

Legislators oppose discriminatory Brazilian tariffs on ethanol

Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow of Michigan was pleased that the Senate voted to pass the bipartisan bill to avoid a debt default, calling it critical for our economy and families. 

“I’m pleased this agreement protects the important steps that we’ve taken over the last two years to rebuild America, bring jobs home, lower the costs of health care, and tackle the climate crisis,” Stabenow says. 

Stabenow also says she’s deeply disappointed by the changes that were agreed to in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. 

“As the Ag, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Chair, I intend to produce a bipartisan farm bill that protects critical nutrition and food assistance programs for all Americans,” she said. 

“And as far as I’m concerned, the work requirements issue is settled for this Congress.” She intends to in no way further erode the dignity of Americans who need roughly $6 a day to buy food.

Senate Ag Chair comments on debt agreement

Representatives Michelle Fischbach of Minnesota and Adrian Smith of Nebraska led 62 colleagues in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai regarding Mexico. 

The House members are calling on Ambassador Tai to fully utilize the tools available under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement to hold Mexico accountable for its commitments. 

They’re asking Tai to proceed with a formal USMCA dispute to address Mexico’s discriminatory policies banning U.S. biotech corn. 

“Now that the thirty-day period for consultations has lapsed without Mexico making any changes, we urge you to take swift enforcement action by initiating a USMCA dispute,” the letter says. 

“Two months have passed since you made strong comments on Mexico during Congressional testimony, and we strongly believe it’s time to take additional steps in the matter.” 

The letter also points out that a lack of action would create a dangerous precedent that promises made under USMCA can be ignored without consequence.

Reps push USTR for actions on Mexico under the USMCA

A new report from CoBank says grain merchandisers have endured rising costs of storing or carrying grain and oilseed inventories during the past year because of rising interest rates. 

Higher crop prices and rising operating costs like transportation, insurance, fuel, electricity, and labor are also squeezing grain elevators. 

CoBank forecasts the financial cost of carry will reach record highs in the upcoming 2023-2024 crop year for corn, wheat, and soybeans. 

Grain elevators are required to buy and market members’ crops, regardless of whether the economics are favorable. The one thing elevators do control is their local bids. Inverted futures markets further penalize elevators for having to store grains and oilseeds. 

If interest rates stay at their current high level and futures markets remain inverted into the new crop year, then many grain cooperatives are expected to lower their bids and widen their basis to cover the high cost of storing commodities.

Rising cost of carry is hitting grain elevators’ bottom lines

Congressman&nbsp;Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin reintroduced the Guaranteeing Robust Agricultural Independence and Nutrition for America (GRAIN) Act. 

It would place a one-year moratorium on the enrollment of farmland in the Conservation Reserve Program, which pays farmers to leave land uncultivated. 

After the one-year moratorium, the bill would prevent prime farmland from getting enrolled in the CRP. 

“Food security is national security, and America needs to be taking the necessary steps to shore up our food supply,” Tiffany says. “We can only have a prosperous future if we allow our nation’s farmers to unleash their full production potential.” 

He also says the bill came about because the administration expanded the CRP in a “green fantasy” attempting to achieve net-zero emissions. 

Tiffany’s GRAIN for America Act would not impact farmland that is already a part of the CRP. Additionally, farmers who already have land in the CRP can re-enroll during the moratorium.

Legislation will strengthen America’s food supply

West Coast ports in the U.S. started negotiating a new labor contract just over a year ago. 

While working without a new contract in place isn’t unheard of, the contract has now been expired for over 10 months. 

A report from the U.S. Meat Export Federation says the labor uncertainty is having an impact on red meat exports. 

“There’s a lot of questions and uncertainty surrounding the west coast ports,” says USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom. 

“Those ports are a vital starting point for a large number of our shipments to Asia.”&nbsp;&nbsp;The Long Beach and LA ports shut down in mid-April and were followed by further disruptions later that month. 

He says USMEF is seeing a reduction in imports, and some discretionary cargo is getting diverted away to ports in the Gulf of Mexico and the East Coast. “This isn’t good news for the meat industry,” he says.&nbsp;

West Coast ports losing business as negotiations continue

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a weekend arrest.

Just before&nbsp;6p.m. on Saturday officers were sent to the area of 9th and Unity in Atchison after&nbsp;receiving reports that 20-year-old Raymond Fink was in the area and he was known to have active warrants for his arrest, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

An officer located Fink walking in the area of the 800 block of Mound. Fink ran from officer and a foot pursuit ensued. He was apprehended and taken into custody in the 1000 block North 8th Street.

He remains jailed on requested charges of Criminal damage to property that occurred on April 26th at Walmart in Atchison, a theft that occurred on May 3rd at Walmart, an attempted burglary that occurred on April 26th at a parking lot in the 800 block of Raven,&nbsp;Criminal Damage to Property Hill Road where he allegedly did damage to a vehicle while trying to enter it, District Court warrants for failure to appear in court and a Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear in court.

In October, he was jailed on requested charges of battery and failure to appear, according to online jail records.

Police capture wanted suspect after chase

Depending on the number of runs the Mustangs score this season. You can score season tickets for next season! Enter below the number of runs you predict the Mustangs will score this season. You can enter a guess once each day. Who ever guesses the closest without going over will win. If there are multiple correct entries. A random drawing from the correct entries will determine the winner. Go Mustangs!

Guess How Many Runs The Mustangs Will Score This Season!

A recent death of a person found inside a storage unit at the Brittany Village Apartments has put a spotlight on a growing homeless problem in St. Joseph.&nbsp;

Interim Police Chief Dave Hart says the department receives feedback regarding homeless issues in the community, but there are no quick and easy answers to solve it.&nbsp;

"Because we're not the only community facing this problem," Hart tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "This has unfortunately become the norm nationally, where you have these huge influxes of homeless individuals in communities for a myriad of reasons."&nbsp;

Hart says the department focuses on enforcement, when necessary, but it relies heavily on partnerships with organizations that provide services to the homeless.&nbsp;

"They do a great job, they work very well with us in finding unique and outside of the box ways to help people and to try and get them out of the situation that they're in," Hart explains. "Where we struggle as a community is the people who refuse services."&nbsp;

Hart says that's when you end up with people camping on the streets or in abandoned structures. &nbsp;

Hart says rather than giving money to those begging on the streets, you should donate to these organizations instead.&nbsp;

"That can get resources to these individuals, when you give to the people directly obviously you have no control over how that money is spent or what's going on, and when you give to these agencies they're able to invest that money in long term solutions to get people away from homelessness instead of continuing with the homeless lifestyle," Hart says.&nbsp;

Hart says you also may never know which people asking for money may be telling the truth, stating some might drive in from other communities only to set up shop and beg from St. Joseph drivers.&nbsp;

Death at Brittany Village Apartments puts spotlight on growing problem

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman for alleged burglary.

On Saturday, police arrested 22-year-old&nbsp;Ciara L. Swenson of Atchison, on a Buchanan County Missouri warrant for burglary, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

In October 0f 2019, she was jailed on requested charges of heroin or meth distribution, according to online records.

Police: Kansas woman jailed for alleged burglary

Northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves praises the debt
ceiling deal and defends Speaker Kevin McCarthy against fellow Republicans who
claim it didn’t go far enough.

Graves calls it a good bill and a step in the right direction.

“It’s the largest spending cut in our nation’s history,”
Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “It also rescinds the IRS funding. It makes
work requirements for folks that are receiving welfare. It caps discretionary
spending.”

The deal brokered by McCarthy and Democratic President Joe
Biden cleared the House on a 314-to-117 vote with more Democrats voting for it
than Republicans. It passed the Senate on a 63-36 vote.

Graves says that as for Republican criticism of the deal, it
doesn’t take into account that Republicans control only the House with
Democrats in control of the Senate and the White House.

“If you remember, the president said in the beginning he
absolutely would not negotiate; he’s not going to negotiate,” Graves says. “And
then, here we are with one of the best bills in terms of spending cuts that
this nation has ever seen.”

Graves says now that the debt ceiling negotiations have been
completed, it is time for the House to shape a budget that eliminates even more
spending.

“The fact that we were able to get everything that we were
trying to get I think is a huge win; just an absolute huge win for us. And
we’ll continue down this process,” Graves says. “So, this is just negotiating
the budget. Then we come back with the appropriations bills and will continue
to negotiate further cuts in spending. So, I think it’s a huge win.”

The bill calls for the return of $28 billion in unspent
COVID-related funding, strengthens welfare work requirements, and cuts $80 billion
sought by President Biden to add 20,000 IRS agents.

Graves points out negotiations took defense spending off the
table.

“We have to have a strong defense. We have to continue to have
a strong defense,” Graves says. “And one of the things that the president was
looking to cut dramatically was our defense budget. And it’s vitally important,
particularly given the unrest that’s around the world today, we have to have a
strong defense budget. So, it’s not going to be affected.”

<i>You can follow Brent @GBrentKFEQ&nbsp;and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.</i>

Congressman Graves calls debt ceiling bill a huge win

A St. Joseph man is being treated for a life-threatening wound
after a shooting near Corby Pond.

St. Joseph police report the shooting took place near 22nd
Street and Northeast Parkway late Friday night. Police say officers pulled the
victim over at 36th Street and Frederick Avenue as he was trying to
drive to the hospital. Officers began emergency treatment until Buchanan County
EMS arrived to take him to the hospital.

The victim’s car had two bullet holes in the driver’s side. It
also had a flat tire.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the St.
Joseph Police Department or the Tips Hotline at (816) 238-TIPS (8477).

St. Joseph man severely wounded in shooting

PLATTE COUNTY—The&nbsp;Platte County Prosecutor’s Office filed charges on Saturday against 50-year-old Phillip J. Frazier in the death of 32-year-old Cody J. Steffen, in Northmoor, Missouri, according to a media release from the sheriff's office.

On Friday Platte County deputies along with officers of the Riverside Police Department responded to reports of a shooting in a strip mall&nbsp; in&nbsp;2400 Block of Vivion Road in Northmoor, Missouri.

The shooting allegedly occurred after Frazier's vehicle struck Steffen's vehicle. Witnesses reported hearing the Steffen ask Frazier for his insurance information. 

Witnesses also reported seeing Frazier pull a handgun from the small of his back and point it at the victim. The gun allegedly still had a holster on it. Frazier allegedly removed the holster from the gun and shot Steffen from only a few inches away.

A Riverside Police officer took Frazier into custody shortly after the shooting.

Prosecutor Eric Zahnd stated, “This is the kind of tragedy that is occurring far too frequently these days. Someone is dead from gunfire after a minor fender bender. Fortunately, thanks to an excellent joint investigation by the Northmoor and Riverside police departments and the Platte County Sheriff’s Office, this defendant was quickly apprehended and charged.”

Frazier has been charged with 2nd Degree Murder and Armed Criminal Action and is currently being held in the Platte County Detention Center without bond.&nbsp;

Charges filed in parking lot fender bender killing

The St. Joseph Mustangs took their first loss of the season in Joplin Monday, as the Outlaws came away with a 6-1 win at Joe Becker Stadium.

 The Mustangs had just five hits and stranded 12 runners on base.

 Lafayette alum Cole Slibowski and Trevor McCollum each had two hits. Pitcher Jack Wells took the loss on the mound, giving up three runs in the first inning.

St. Joseph is now 3-1 on the season. The Mustangs stay on the road Tuesday to face the Carroll, Iowa Merchants. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.

Mustangs take first loss of the season at Joplin Monday

MIAMI (AP) — Luis Arraez had three hits to raise his major league-leading batting average to .399, and the Miami Marlins beat the Kansas City Royals 9-6. Arraez drove in two runs for the Marlins, who erased an early four-run deficit and won their fourth straight game. 

Bryan De La Cruz hit his eighth homer, while Jon Berti, Nick Fortes and Joey Wendle had two hits apiece. Braxton Garrett overcame a difficult start and completed five innings of four-run ball. Arraez’s RBI single capped a four-run fourth and put Miami ahead 6-4. 

Berti hit a two-run triple and Jonathan Davis followed with an RBI double as the Marlins got five consecutive hits against reliever Mike Mayers with two outs.

The Royals take on the Marlins again Tuesday evening with first pitch at 5:40. Coverage begins at 5:00 on KFEQ (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

Arraez lifts average to .399, Marlins overcome 4-run deficit in 9-6 win over Royals

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said the Kansas City Chiefs are "building a dynasty” as he hosted the team at the White House Monday to mark their Super Bowl victory in February.

Speaking on the South Lawn, Biden praised the team for playing with “the real joy of the game and love for each other and the great city you represent.” He also praised the team for their charitable work off the field, saying, “as these guys know about football, they know about life and how to use their platform to make a difference. ”

Biden joked that first lady Jill Biden, a “rabid” Philadelphia fan, is still not over the dramatic end to the game, which included a controversial holding penalty against the Eagles that set the Chiefs up for their game-winning field goal. The president added, “I have to be careful what I say today,” even thoughhis wife was out of the country.

Biden led the crowd in a moment of silence to mark the death Sunday of Norma Hunt, wife of the late team founder Lamar Hunt, saying he was sending “our condolences to the entire Hunt family.”

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the game's most valuable player, and tight end Travis Kelce presented Biden with a personalized Kansas City Chiefs jersey before posing for a team photo with the president.

Before the ceremony, the team was given a tour of the White House.

🎥 Biden hosts Super Bowl champs at the White House

The St. Joseph Mustangs exploded with 10 runs in the seventh inning to slam the door on Nevada in a 15-0 victory Sunday at Lyons Stadium in Nevada.

Easton Bruce had a huge day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with three runs scored and a whopping seven RBIs. Bruce had a triple and a home run.

Savannah alum Dakota Spicer and Lafayette grad Ike Book each had a pair of hits in the win. Fellow Lafayette product Cole Slibowski had a couple of RBIs as well.

On the mound, Mason Holton got the win in six innings, striking out six and walking only two.&nbsp;

The Mustangs (3-0) stay on the road Monday to face the Joplin Outlaws. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.

Mustangs run rule Nevada on the road Sunday to stay undefeated

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brady Singer scattered five singles over 5 2/3 innings and the Kansas City Royals beat the Colorado Rockies 2-0 on Sunday.

Singer (4-4) allowed just one runner past first base while striking out seven, his most since getting eight on April 14 against Atlanta. He allowed no walks for the first time in seven starts.

“The sinker was a lot better than it has been lately,” Singer said. “It had some good run on it. I was able to attack with it, and the slider was really good.”

“He did a good job of elevating when he had to, but also pitching to the corners,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “The slider looked like it had better depth at times when he needed to get under the left-handed bat or expand with the righties.”

Rockies starter Kyle Freeland (4-7) retired the first 13 batters he faced. With one out in the fifth, MJ Melendez’s ground-ball double took a bad hop past Rockies second baseman Harold Castro to end Freeland’s perfect game bid. Melendez scored one out later on Michael Massey’s single to right.

“They were firing immediately, swinging the bats,” Freeland said. “When I see that from a team it just gets down to execution. When you’re executing your pitches they’ll get themselves out.”

Maikel Garcia led off the eighth with his first major league homer, ending Freeland’s day.

“We’ve seen him hit several balls off the wall here,” Quatraro said. “It was just a matter of time.”

Freeland gave up two runs and four hits with no walks and one strikeout in seven-plus innings.

“It was nice to get into the eighth inning like that,” Freeland said. “The slider was really good today. The curveball was not there at all. Every single time I tried to throw it, it was hit hard somewhere.”

“He had tremendous movement,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “Kyle’s ball was really moving, the fastball, the change, the breaking pitches.”

The Royals’ bullpen, with a major-league high 19 blown-lead losses, shut down the Rockies over the final 3 1/3 innings. Scott Barlow struck out three while working around a pair of singles to earn his seventh save.

Before the start of the sixth inning, the game was delayed for 16 minutes due to rain.

Mike Moustakas and Nolan Jones each had two of Colorado’s eight hits. Jones extended his hitting streak to a career-best seven games.

“I was seeing the ball well,” Jones said. “I feel like I was doing what I wanted to do.”

Kansas City got its third shutout of the season, and second in five games. Colorado was blanked for the second time in five games.

“It was a tough loss,” Black said. “We swung the bats pretty well the last couple of nights. Today we just couldn’t get to their assortment of breaking pitches. (Singer) threw a lot of quality breaking balls. There was just something about the slider we couldn’t solve.”

The win prevented the Rockies from getting a sweep, but the Royals still lost their fifth straight series and they are 1-9 in home series this year.

The Royals have not announced a starter for their series opener on Monday at Miami against Marlins LHP Braxton Garrett (1-2, 4.22).

Singer pitches into sixth, Royals beat Rockies 2-0 to avoid sweep

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Elehuris Montero’s two-run triple highlighted Colorado’s five-run first inning and the Rockies hung on for a 6-4 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.

Matt Carasiti (1-0) earned the win with 2 1/3 innings in relief of starter Austin Gomber, who allowed a pair of runs on six hits and three walks over 2 2/3 innings. Justin Lawrence recorded four outs for his second save.

“To win a game like that, when you go to the bullpen in the third inning, you need your relievers to all step up,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “They all did a nice job.”

Carasiti’s win was his first since Aug. 19, 2016, his only other major league victory.

“Honestly, I didn’t even really realize it,” Carasiti said. “But, it does feel good. It means a lot, helping the team win.”

The Rockies’ first three hitters reached safely in the first, with Charlie Blackmon — who was hit by a pitch to lead off the game — scoring on Ryan McMahon’s soft liner over shortstop. McMahon is hitting .487 (19 for 39) with 15 RBIs in his last 10 games.

Randal Grichuk’s one-out single added another run before Montero tripled down the right-field line, scoring two more. Montero scored on Brenton Doyle’s sacrifice fly for a 5-0 lead.

“That was a good inning for us,” Montero said. “We took advantage and executed when we needed to. It gave us confidence going into the rest of the game.”

“We caught a couple of breaks right off the bat,” Black said. “(Blackmon) got hit and (McMahon), sort of a soft liner, and we just kept going from there. We made contact. You put the ball in play, a lot of good things can happen.”

Royals starter Daniel Lynch (0-1) threw 38 pitches in the laborious first inning, then settled in to complete five innings. He allowed five runs, three earned, and six hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.

“Hits like that are going to happen,” Lynch said. “I tried to stay within my control and keep on attacking guys. I felt like I did that, but I put myself in a hole hitting the first guy.”

Colorado added a run in the sixth on Blackmon’s RBI hit as Kansas City reliever Josh Staumont walked three in the frame.

Nick Pratto’s third home run, a 438-foot solo shot to right, got the Royals on the board in the first. It was Pratto’s first career leadoff homer.

Bobby Witt Jr. had three singles for Kansas City but also committed a first-inning error that led to two unearned runs. He was also picked off third base ahead of Maikel Garcia’s RBI hit in the third inning which cut Colorado’s lead to 5-2.

“Bobby just tried to be too quick on the double-play ball,” Quatraro said. “I don’t know if we get (Jurickson) Profar on that.”

Drew Waters’ RBI single in the eighth made it 6-3. Salvador Perez’s two-out single in the ninth capped the scoring.

The Royals have lost 14 of 19 and are 8-23 at home.

Colorado LHP Kyle Freeland (4-6, 4.22 ERA) opposes RHP Brady Singer (3-4, 7.12) in Sunday’s series finale.

First pitch is set for 1:10, with pregame coverage beginning at 12:30 on KFEQ.

Royals fall to Rockies 4-6 after 5-run first inning

The St. Joseph Mustangs are off to a hot start to the season, remaining unbeaten through three games, though one was rain shortened, defeating the Nevada Griffons 5-2 Saturday night. 

It took a rally for the Mustangs though, as the Griffons after one inning led 2-0, both runs scoring on a single from Nevada's Sam Kwapnioksi.  But Mustangs pitcher Andrew Clark would lock it down after that, throwing five scoreless innings before he was replaced by Brandon Stone, who pitched the final three innings.

St. Joseph would finally get on the board in the sixth thanks to a single from third baseman Mason Holton, which would drive in current Northwest Missouri State Bearcat and Lafayette alumni Cole Slibowski. 

After six innings of one run baseball, the Griffons would pull starter Gage Haynes, and the Mustangs would go on to tee off on reliever Jacob Strobel for four runs, with RBI's coming from Savannah alumni Noah Bodenhausen, Michael Paule, and two more runs were driven in by Holton

Both Clark and Stone recorded six strikeouts and gave up two walks on the night.  Holton was 2 for 4 with the 3 RBI's. 

The Mustangs are now 2-o on the season, and 1-0 in MINK league play.  The Mustangs will be in action against Nevada again on Sunday, this time on the road, with first pitch set for 7pm.

Mustangs come back late to stay undefeated beating Nevada 5-2

FENTON - For the second day in a row, Bishop LeBlond girls' soccer gave it all they had. Until there was literally nothing left to give.

The Golden Eagles (14-7), playing in hot, sunny conditions on a turf field that was north of 110 degrees Fahrenheit, fought until the bitter end, but fell to Saxony Lutheran, 2-1, in the Class 1 third place match at the World Wide Technology Soccer Park in Fenton.

With a bench that was thinning out by the end, and a couple of players out with ailments, head coach Chad Thompson couldn't have asked for more.

"There toward the last five minutes, we didn't have anybody to sub," he said. "It was, 'If that one's tired, you go back there and hang out.&nbsp; You drop back here where we're being pressured.' I don't even know...you know, how do you condition for it?"

LeBlond had a much better offensive attack Saturday, getting a handful of looks at a goal in the first half, but Saxony (13-9) held the Eagles scoreless through the first 40 minutes.

It appeared the match was headed for a scoreless first half, but Saxony's Abigail Haley scored the first goal after collecting a long pass from the midfield and beating defender Emersyn Lenz to the goal line.

The Crusaders led 1-0 with 2:14 to play in the first half.

LeBlond had a quick answer in the second half. The Eagles passed the ball around the top of the 18-yard-box a few times. When it came to senior Emerson McChristy, who had a clean look down the middle, she kicked the ball into the air and buried it to knot the match at 1-1 with 34:07 to go. Allie Welter was credited with the assist.

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