By MATT PIKE
The St. Joseph Mustangs wrapped up their slate of home regular season games by celebrating Christmas in July, beating the Jefferson City Renegades 14-7 on Saturday night at Phil Welch Stadium.
The Mustangs started out the scoring fast and furious, putting up three runs in the first inning. Lafayette alum Brayden Luikart doubled to left driving in Darius Freeman and Jack Mosh for the first two runs of the game, before Luikart scored himself later in the inning on a wild pitch. Behind a strong pitching effort by Benton alum Chris Coy, St. Joseph held that lead, before extending the lead in the third inning.
Four more came across home plate in the third, pinch hitting for Freeman Carter Belton tripled driving in Bishop LeBlond alum Frank Gall. Continuing his standout day in front of the home crowd, Luikart drove in two more runs, scoring Belton with a two run home run to extend the lead. Later in the inning, after singling and stealing second base, Easton Phillipe scored the final run of the inning on an RBI single by Central alum Logan Miller putting the Mustangs up 7-0.
The Mustangs continued pouring things on in the fourth, five more runs coming in, starting with a solo home run by Gall. With the bases loaded, Phillipe singled to right field driving in two more runs, scoring Mosh and Belton. Miller drove in the final two runs of the inning with a single, bringing home Luikart and Phillipe to put the Mustangs up 12-0 at the end of four innings.
The Renegades put together a rally in the sixth inning, scoring all seven of their runs. Karson Durnin singled to center driving in the first two runs, scoring Tyler Towe and Drew Vonder Harr. Durnin later scored with an RBI single by Nolan Laughlin. Reaching on an error, Conner Flieg drove in Brayden Groseclose and advance Laughlin to second, before both Flieg and Laughlin scored on a three run home run for the final score, a shot by Jack Dunn.
The Mustangs added the final two runs of insurance in the seventh inning on a two RBI single by Lafayette alum Jayden Little, bringing home Northwest Missouri State's Parker Griffith and Belton for the final runs of the game.
Lane Chapman earned the win for the Musangs pitching two innings and striking out three while walking two. Coy pitched three innings and gave up one hit while striking out two and walking one. At the plate, Luikart was 2-for-2 with a double, a home run, a stolen base, and four RBIs. Gall was 3-for-6 with a home run and an RBI.
The Mustangs are now 34-8 on the season and 28-7 in the MINK league. They have one game remaining in the regular season, traveling to Carroll, Iowa to face the Carroll Merchants on Sunday. First pitch will be at 4pm. The Mustangs will be back in St. Joseph on Tuesday for their first playoff game, their opponent is TBD.