In their game against Des Moines, the Chillicothe Mudcats had a strong offensive performance, resulting in an 18-10 victory. RHP Jake Young, one of the dominant pitchers in the league, started for the Mudcats and did enough to earn the win. However, it was the offense that really showed up in this game.
Chillicothe took the lead in the second inning when Third Baseman Chris Carratala hit an RBI single, making it 1-0. Carratala had a productive night, going 2-4 with two RBIs, a walk, and a double. In the third inning, the Mudcats entered with a 2-1 deficit, but Carratala’s second RBI helped them take the lead. In a big third inning, Chillicothe sent thirteen batters to the plate, with six of them registering hits and eight scoring, making it 9-2. They added another run in the fourth inning, extending the lead to 10-2.
Des Moines responded with four runs in the next two innings, closing the gap to 10-6. However, the Mudcats had a strong sixth inning, scoring eight runs with six hits as thirteen more batters came to the plate, making it 18-6.
Although Des Moines added three runs in the top of the seventh, the Mudcats held a comfortable lead heading into the ninth inning. After Des Moines scored another run, RHP Ryan Knipfer came in and struck out a batter to secure the 18-10 victory for Chillicothe.
The Mudcats’ offense had a standout performance, with seven batters recording multi-hit games, which was their highest total of the season. Catcher Zack Thompson had an incredible night, going 4-5 with a double and four RBIs, his highest RBI total in a game this season. Designated hitter Tanner Sears continued his hot streak, driving in three runs and bringing his season total to a league-leading twenty-nine RBIs.
The Clarinda A’s and the Chillicothe Mudcats played a doubleheader on Saturday night at Shaffer Park, with each team winning one game. In Game One, the Mudcats started off slow on offense and couldn’t make a comeback, ultimately losing 7-5. The A’s broke the Mudcats’ eight-game winning streak and handed them their first road loss of the season. In Game Two, both teams had strong pitching performances, but the Mudcats’ offense clicked and they secured a 5-4 victory.
In Game One, the Mudcats’ starting pitcher was RHP Karter Muck, who had been performing well in his previous starts but struggled in this game. Muck allowed three earned runs over six innings, with four hits and three walks. He managed to strike out four batters. In the seventh inning, RHP JJ Tylicki came in relief but struggled with his command, giving up three more runs in a third of an inning. The Mudcats’ offense started to come alive in the sixth inning, scoring two runs, but they fell short in the bottom of the seventh when Outfielder Ben Kasparie lined out with the tying run on first base.
Game Two featured a matchup between Mudcats’ RHP Caleb Bergman and A’s RHP Colby Royal. Both pitchers worked quickly and kept the game scoreless in the early innings. Bergman retired the first ten batters he faced before allowing a baserunner. The Mudcats’ offense started to produce in the third inning, with Catcher Luca Boscarino driving in a run on an RBI double, followed by an RBI single from Right Fielder Kodai Yaoita to give the Mudcats a 2-0 lead. Boscarino continued to be productive, hitting another RBI double in the fifth inning, driving in two runs. First Baseman Zack Thompson contributed a go-ahead RBI, putting the Mudcats ahead 5-4. Outfielder Noah Hata also made history by breaking the Mudcats’ all-time consecutive hits record at seven.
After pitching five solid innings, Bergman was replaced by RHP Ryan Knipfer, who pitched a scoreless and hitless sixth inning. RHP Tanner Sears then entered the game in the seventh, seeking a save. He struck out the first two batters he faced and got the final batter to fly out to left field, securing the victory for the Mudcats. This was Sears’ second save of the season, and he looked strong coming out of the bullpen.
Next, the Mudcats will be heading to Sedalia on Monday night for a game against an undisclosed opponent. RHP Bailey Quint is set to start for Chillicothe.
Here is the weekend MINK League Scoreboard:
Saturday, June 24, 2023:
Carroll 12, Jefferson City 2 (Game 1)
Jefferson City 5, Carroll 1 (Game 2)
Clarinda 7, Chillicothe 5 (Game 1)
Chillicothe 5, Clarinda 4 (Game 2)
St. Joseph 11, Des Moines 2
Nevada 8, Sedalia 3
Sunday, June 25, 2023:
Joplin 8, Sedalia 1
Chillicothe 18, Des Moines 10
St. Joseph 10, Nevada 3
Jefferson City 11, Clarinda 5
Monday, June 26, 2023 (Schedule):
Clarinda at Jefferson City – 7:00 PM
Nevada at Joplin – 7:00 PM
Chillicothe at Sedalia – 7:00 PM
Carroll at Des Moines – 7:00 PM
