By MATT PIKE
The St. Joseph Mustangs saw their win streak snapped as they hit the road on Sunday, the Carroll Merchants coming out on top 9-3 in a battle of MINK League opponents.
The Merchants took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI single from Austin Anderson, and a wild pitch that brought home another run. In the third inning the Mustangs cut into the lead after Missouri Western's Seth Winkler walked, and moved all the way to third on a throwing error, before scoring on an RBI single from Griffon teammate Micah Kobuszewski. In the bottom half of the inning though, Carroll extended the lead on another wild pitch, putting the Merchants up 3-1.
St. Joseph tied the game up in the fourth inning, scoring two runs. With the bases loaded and one out, after walks to Lafayette alum Jayden Little and Tyler Gundelfinger, and a hit by pitch on Isaiah Ketller, Eden Meyers grounded into a fielders choice out scoring Little. An error on Merchants pitcher Jack Carroll allowed Meyers to advance to second and Gundelfinger to score. Winkler would line out to end the threat and the inning would end tied 3-3.
From there the Merchants pulled away, scoring a go ahead run in the fifth inning on an error, then adding two more in the sixth on a two RBI single. The final runs came in the eighth inning, a bases loaded hit by pitch scoring one, before a two RBI double drove in the final two runs of the inning to put the Merchants up 9-3. The Mustangs used six pitchers in the matchup with Winkler giving up three runs, and Plattsburg alum Keegan Gudde giving up two, both in one inning of work.'
At the plate, Little was 2-for-2 with a double and two walks, scoring a run and stealing two bases. Meyers, who drove in the lone earned run, was 0-for-4 on the night. Bishop LeBlond alum Frank Gall and Kobuszewski had the other two hits as the Mustangs managed just four hits in the game, but did reach base 12 times, thanks to six walks and two Carroll errors.
The Mustangs are now 7-4 on the season, 5-3 in the MINK League, and will stay on the road next playing against Carroll once again on Wednesday.
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.