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After surrendering a one-run lead in the top of the sixth, the Joplin Jailbirds needed a response in the final two innings of Wednesday’s MINK League contest with the St. Joseph Mustangs at Joe Becker Stadium in Joplin in Game 1 of two seven-inning doubleheader games.
They got that response.
With two outs in the inning, Joplin started a rally. Austin Marsh singled and Gio Mastrorosa was hit by a pitch to put the tying run on second base. That brought the potential winning run to the plate in Drew Vonder Haar.
“I was trying to get it done early, trying to hit a pitch early in the count. ... I was just trying to get the runner from second home,” Vonder Haar said.
He did that and a little more. Vonder Haar struck a pitch from his teammate at Missouri Southern State University, Caden Carter, that he sent to the deepest part of the field for a three-run home run to put the Jailbirds on top 5-3, and they went on to win 5-4.
“I got one. I got all of it. ... Once I hit it, I knew it was gone,” Vonder Haar said.
Joplin held on in the final frame as Kaylor Darnell was able to earn the save after allowing one run on one hit, a hit batter and a walk.
“Being able to get out of it was nice. The strikeout at the end was good. Got him on three straight sliders. Hitting that one guy was unfortunate,” Darnell said.
Darnell, another MSSU product, faced a former teammate in Brayden Luikart, who just graduated from MSSU. He walked Luikart on four pitches.
“You have to pitch around him. I wasn’t going to give up a tying run on a home run to Luikart,” Darnell added. “But I should have still threw to him. I was too around (the zone) and too spotty with it but was lucky enough to still get out of it.”
Lucas Vanlanduit got the start for Joplin and pitched five innings, allowing one run on four hits and walking two batters while striking out three. He was in line for the win as he exited with a 2-1 lead.
Alex Rodriguez pitched the sixth inning and allowed two runs, surrendering the lead, on one hit and three walks.
The Jailbirds looked to be on their way to getting out of a bases-loaded jam when a passed ball saw Mason Williams hustle to recover it and fire the ball back to home plate to Rodriguez in time to tag Luikart out at the plate.
But the next batter, Tyler Gundelfinger, singled up the middle to drive in two runs and put the visitors on top 3-2.
The Jailbirds’ first two runs came in the first inning on a two-run, no-doubt blast to left field by Landin Midgett.
Joplin (11-6, 10-6 MINK) and St. Joseph (9-8, 7-7 MINK) played a doubleheader on Wednesday but results were not available for Game 2 at press time.
The Jailbirds are back in action on Thursday night at Joe Becker at 6:30 p.m. against the Nevada Griffons.
Continue reading...
They got that response.
With two outs in the inning, Joplin started a rally. Austin Marsh singled and Gio Mastrorosa was hit by a pitch to put the tying run on second base. That brought the potential winning run to the plate in Drew Vonder Haar.
“I was trying to get it done early, trying to hit a pitch early in the count. ... I was just trying to get the runner from second home,” Vonder Haar said.
He did that and a little more. Vonder Haar struck a pitch from his teammate at Missouri Southern State University, Caden Carter, that he sent to the deepest part of the field for a three-run home run to put the Jailbirds on top 5-3, and they went on to win 5-4.
“I got one. I got all of it. ... Once I hit it, I knew it was gone,” Vonder Haar said.
Joplin held on in the final frame as Kaylor Darnell was able to earn the save after allowing one run on one hit, a hit batter and a walk.
“Being able to get out of it was nice. The strikeout at the end was good. Got him on three straight sliders. Hitting that one guy was unfortunate,” Darnell said.
Darnell, another MSSU product, faced a former teammate in Brayden Luikart, who just graduated from MSSU. He walked Luikart on four pitches.
“You have to pitch around him. I wasn’t going to give up a tying run on a home run to Luikart,” Darnell added. “But I should have still threw to him. I was too around (the zone) and too spotty with it but was lucky enough to still get out of it.”
Lucas Vanlanduit got the start for Joplin and pitched five innings, allowing one run on four hits and walking two batters while striking out three. He was in line for the win as he exited with a 2-1 lead.
Alex Rodriguez pitched the sixth inning and allowed two runs, surrendering the lead, on one hit and three walks.
The Jailbirds looked to be on their way to getting out of a bases-loaded jam when a passed ball saw Mason Williams hustle to recover it and fire the ball back to home plate to Rodriguez in time to tag Luikart out at the plate.
But the next batter, Tyler Gundelfinger, singled up the middle to drive in two runs and put the visitors on top 3-2.
The Jailbirds’ first two runs came in the first inning on a two-run, no-doubt blast to left field by Landin Midgett.
Joplin (11-6, 10-6 MINK) and St. Joseph (9-8, 7-7 MINK) played a doubleheader on Wednesday but results were not available for Game 2 at press time.
The Jailbirds are back in action on Thursday night at Joe Becker at 6:30 p.m. against the Nevada Griffons.
Continue reading...
