By MATT PIKE
The St. Joseph Mustangs cut the lead to one run in the top of the seventh inning, but a five run bottom half would be their downfall, unable to recover and falling to the Clarinda A's 9-2 on the road in Clarinda, Iowa in their penultimate road game of the regular season.
Clarinda took the early 2-0 lead through the first three innings. In the first, the A's scored the opening run, Kane Wilson grounding out to second baseman Jack Mosh, but still driving in Layth Holliday for the first run of the game. In the third inning, it was Holliday scoring again as he stole home base.
Clarinda held that lead until the seventh inning when the Mustangs scored their first run as Justin George singled home Dom Felix, cutting the lead to one run, but in the bottom half of the inning the A's pulled away with that five run frame. The lead extended when Jake Espeland singled, and a series of errors allowed Colin Linteo to come around and score after his leadoff single. Another single by Holliday drove in Esepeland, while Holliday advanced to second, and then Holliday scored on a fourth consecutive single by Micah Nicholson.
Wilson continued the scoring rally in the seventh with another RBI single, driving in Nicholson and advancing Drake Cobb to second base. Cobb scored the final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Joey Caruso putting the A's up on the Mustangs 7-1. In the eighth, Tyler Gundelfinger grounded out, scoring Lafayette alum Jayden Little for the final run by the Mustangs, but in the bottom half of the inning Clarinda added two more runs with Espeland singling home Linteo, and then scoring an unearned run as Cobb reached first on an error by Gundelfinger.
Ian Dittmer took the loss for the Mustangs, despite an effecient start, pitching five innings and giving up two runs on two hits while striking out and walking three batters each. At the plate, Mosh was 3-for-4, while George was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
With three games left in the regular season, the Mustangs have clinched home field advantage in the playoffs and are now 32-8 on the season and 26-7 in the MINK league. They return to Phil Welch Stadium on Friday to host Clarinda with first pitch at 7pm.