By MATT PIKE
The St. Joseph Mustangs moved their win streak to five games during a short one game road trip to Kirksville, beating the North Missouri Natty's 14-0 at Tiger Field.
The Mustangs got out to a quick lead in the first inning scoring four runs, a sacrifice fly from Brayden Luikart driving in Chris Coy for the first run before Boston Bruce hit a three run home run, scoring Carson Schrack and Frank Gall to end the scoring in the inning, the lone out in that span being the flyout from Luikart. Leading 4-0, only one Mustang batter reached base in the second inning, and then in the third inning St. Joseph tacked on six more runs to extend the lead.
Walks to Jayden Little and Schrack, along with a single by Bruce, loaded the bases leading to a pitching change by the Natty's. A sacrifice fly from Micah Kobuszewski led to the first out, scoring Schrack, before Isaiah Ketller singled, and advanced to second on a throwing error, bringing home both Bruce and Little to move the lead to 7-0. Eden Meyers singled to drive in Ketller, and moved to second on the throw, and then scored on another RBI single by Coy, Coy also advancing on the throw in putting the Mustangs up 9-0. An RBI double by Gall brought Coy across home plate to cap the scoring, and by the end of the third inning the run rule victory was already in place with St. Joseph up 10-0.
With two outs in the fourth, the Mustangs added on one more run. With runners on second and third, Meyers singled to score Bruce and then Kobuszewski came home on an error by the shortstop adding two more runs. In the fifth, a solo home run from Luikart added one more run and then in the seventh inning, after being hit by a pitch, Luikart scored again on a wild pitch putting the Mustangs up 14-0. Luikart, the Lafayette alum, was 1-for-3 with the home run and two RBI's, also scoring two runs.
Also at the plate, Bruce, an Atchison alum, was 3-for-4 with a home run, a walk, three RBI's, and three runs scored. Coy, a Benton alum, and Gall, the Bishop LeBlond and Northwest Missouri State alum, were both 2-for-4 with an RBI. On the mound, Sebastian Coleman pitched a shutout gem throwing five innings and giving up five hits with five strikeouts while walking just one. Central alum Owen Foster pitched two innings of relief with one strikeout.
The Mustangs are now 17-12, 14-11 in the MINK League, and return home for two games on Friday and Saturday, starting Friday with a matchup against the Nevada Griffons. First pitch at Phil Welch Stadium will be at 7pm.
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.