By MATT PIKE
The playoffs are a different beast, no matter the sport, no matter the league, and it proved no different at Phil Welch Stadium on Tuesday night as it took extra innings for the top seeded St. Joseph Mustangs to beat the bottom seeded Nevada Griffons 2-1 for a trip to the MINK League Championship series.
It was a pitchers duel on the hot summer evening between Mustangs starter Ashton Nance and Griffons starter David "Kenny" Jennings, both putting up zeroes in the run column through the first six innings. Nance gave up no runs in the seventh as well, but it was in the bottom half of the seventh that one team was finally able to break into the scoring as the Mustangs got onto the board.
With one out in the inning, Justin George singled to left, and moved to second as Easton Phillipe walked in the next at bat. With two runners on, Trevor McCollum grounded into a fielders choice, the Griffons going to third base to get George for the second out, leaving runners at first and second. Bishop LeBlond alum Frank Gall continued his hot run though, singling to drive in Phillipe to put the Mustangs up 1-0.
The Mustangs brought on Lawson alum Lane Chapman in the eighth, who needed just 13 pitches to get through the inning holding the lead. In the bottom half, the Mustangs got some runners on looking to add some insurance after Dom Felix walked and Jack Mosh singled, but Nevada reliever Gaige Carson kept them from scoring, keeping the Griffons within striking distance as surefire closer Jase Johnson came to the mound for St. Joseph.
Johnson hit Jordan Rowe to start the inning, but then got a groundout and a strikeout looking to close the door for the Mustangs. With Rowe at second base following the groundout, a single by Shadrach Salazar fell perfectly into the gap between center and right field, driving in Rowe to tie up the game. Johnson forced a fly out to end the inning, sending the playoff game to extra innings.
In the 10th, after Nevada got no runners on, the Mustangs again had a chance to put the game away, Lafayette alum Brayden Luikart walking and then moving to second on a single by Felix. Runners ended up on the corners after Mosh reached on a fielders choice, with Felix being thrown out at second, but with Benton alum Chris Coy at the plate, Coy grounded out, Mosh stealing second in the at bat. George flied out to end the inning stranding the winning run at third.
Moving to the 11th, again Johnson still on the mound put no runners on and in the bottom of the inning with two outs, Gall was hit by a pitch and Darius Freeman singled, again putting the winning run at second base, but once again the runner would be stranded as Luikart grounded out to second base to keep the game moving.
After neither team put a runner on in the 12th inning, the game moved to the 13th, where East Buchanan alum Gage Busby held the Griffons hitless again in the top half. In the bottom half, George led off the inning with a walk, and was pinch ran for by Central alum Logan Miller who stole second base, and then moved to third on a groundout by Easton Phillipe. Trevor McCollum was intentionally walked, and then stole second base with one out. After Gall struck out, Freeman was the hero hitting a chopper back to the pitcher and racing down the line, beating the throw to first base as Miller came across to score the winning run.
Busby earned the win, striking out all three batters in his one inning of relief. Nance in a no decision pitched seven shutout innings giving up two hits and striking out five while walking one. At the plate, Freeman was 2-for-7 with an RBI. Gall was 1-for-6 with an RBI, while Felix was 2-for-5 with a walk and Mosh was 2-for-6.
The Mustangs now advance to the MINK League Championship Series, seeking their 10th MINK League Championship. The Mustangs will play either the second seeded Clarinda A's or the fourth seeded Jefferson City Renegades, traveling to either Clarinda or Jefferson City for Game One of the best of three series on Thursday.
Jefferson City run ruled the Carroll Merchants 10-0 and will take on Clarinda in their MINK League Divisional Game tomorrow in Clarinda to determine where the Mustangs will travel.
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.