Well, all good things must come to an end. Unfortunately, it had to come against the Mudcats’ division rival, as they fell 5-4 in a close ballgame. For what it’s worth, RHP Karter Muck went on a tear, a team record was broken and the game could’ve gone either way.
Muck came in to Monday night’s game set to face the Mustangs for the fourth time. He made his team debut against the Mustangs early in the season and came in to close the game out in the next two. After a rocky first inning, Muck settled into a groove. After retiring the final batter in the first on strikes, he would go on to strikeout the next five batters, making it six consecutive. Muck’s final line would consist of five innings, allowing three runs on three hits, while striking out a season-high eleven.
As for the offense, it didn’t get going until the fifth inning. Center Fielder Noah Hata came in to score on a routine fly ball to center off the bat of Nathan MacLaren. Hata advanced to third easily, but caught the defense napping, coming in to score their first run. In the seventh, now 4-1 in favor of the Mustangs, Chillicothe would get the bats going. Before the runs came in, Second Baseman would steal second after a hit by pitch, now setting the team single season record in stolen bases with 131. The team finished the night with 135, still aspiring for the league record that is currently at 165 set last year by St. Joseph. Third Baseman Tanner Sears drove in a run, as well as Right Fielder Kodai Yaoita to make it 4-3. Sears drove in his 31st run, which leads the MINK League.
After the Mustangs added one more, it would come down to the ninth inning for the Mudcats. MacLaren would draw a walk, steal a base and find a way to come around to score on a wild pitch, making it a one-run game at 5-4. After Guzman would reach on a walk, Catcher Zack Thompson would come up with the tying run at third in Yaoita and Guzman on first. In the end, Thompson would hit a deep fly ball to left, ending the game 5-4.
This would be the first loss of the season against the Mustangs, now a 3-1 record. Overall, the Mudcats still sit in third place with a 15-15 record, three games back of St. Joseph.
NEXT GAME:
Chillicothe is set to have three consecutive days off, but return home Friday Night against the Joplin Outlaws for a doubleheader. First pitch for Game One is set for 5:05 PM.
