By MATT PIKE
After a rough ending to June, the St. Joseph Mustangs started July off the right way with a shutout win over the North Missouri Nattys on the road in Kirksville 6-0.
The Mustangs opened the scoring in the third inning with one out. Benton alum Chris Coy doubled and Missouri Western's Seth Winkler reached first on an error, allowing Coy to move to third. Winkler stole second base, and Lafayette alum Brayden Luikart hit a double of his own, driving in Coy for the first run. The bases were loaded when Carson Schrack was hit by a pitch, and the lead extended on a sacrifice fly from Lafayette alum Jayden Little, scoring Winkler, and putting St. Joseph up 2-0.
A run was added in the fifth inning with two outs after Little doubled and was driven in on a single by Missouri Western's Micah Kobuszewski. The Mustangs continued to pour it on in the eighth inning, again with two outs, when Coy was hit by a pitch and stole second base, then came home to score on a double from Winkler, giving St. Joseph a 4-0 lead. The final runs scored in the ninth inning, Schrack singled and advanced to second on a groundout from Little, scoring on a single by Kobuszewski. Kobusewski stole second base, and with two outs came home with a single from Eden Meyers.
Sebastian Coleman pitched a gem earning the win, giving up four hits and walking one, striking out six, in six shutout innings. Cameron alum and Northwest Missouri State pitcher Graden Hammond struckout three in three innings of relief for the save. At the plate, Coy was 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and a walk. Winkler was 2-for-6 with two doubles and an RBI. Kobuszewski was 2-for-5 with two RBI's and two stolen bases.
The Mustangs are now 12-11 on the season, 9-10 in the MINK League, and return home for three games, starting tomorrow against the Joplin Jailbirds with first pitch at 6:30pm at Phil Welch Stadium.
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