The Chillicothe Mudcats took their first defeat of the season in their first rivalry matchup of the year, losing to the St. Joseph Mustangs on the road at Phil Welch Stadium on Friday night, 6-3.
The Mudcats jumped out on front of the Mustangs in the top of the first, scoring on a groundout with an RBI and a sacrifice fly by Owen Bushnell to make it 2-0.
The Mustangs got on the board in the fourth, with a solo home run on the first pitch in the frame cutting the Mudcats lead in half, 2-1. Chillicothe cancelled that run out in the fifth, though, with a Julio Guerrero solo home run, the first home run for the Mudcats this season.
However, St. Joseph would score four runs in the bottom half of the fifth on just one hit, with an error by Mudcats shortstop Rafael Calcano proving to be costly. An 2-RBI single by the Mustangs’ Jackson Glueck would put St. Joe in front for good, 5-3. The Mustangs would score 1 more run in the eighth on an RBI double, and close out the win in the 9th.
After scoring 39 runs in the first three games this season, the Mudcats only managed three on Friday on just six hits, and left seven runners on base. The Mudcats only had two pitchers throw on Friday, Koby Linder throwing five and 2/3 of an inning and Steven Escarcega finishing the final three and 1/3 innings.
It was the Mustangs first MINK League game of the season, which means they start the season with a 1-0 record. The Mudcats will see St. Joseph again soon, when they face the Mustangs at Shaffer Park this upcoming Monday.
Chillicothe falls to 3-1 on the season and will return to action tonight as they travel to face the Sedalia Bombers for the first time this season. First pitch will be thrown at 7:00 p.m., and you can listen to the game and every single pitch for the Mudcats this season on KCHI and online at kchi.com.
