The first doubleheader of 2025 ended as a split for the Chillicothe Mudcats, who hosted the St. Joseph Mustangs for the twin bill on Tuesday night. The first-place Mustangs took the opener 5-1 after a 78-minute rain delay, but it was the Mudcats on top 7-6 in the nightcap.
Game 1
The Mudcats struck first in game one with a run in the first inning, with the speedy Jarian Pinckney on the bases. After a leadoff single, he stole second and third base, before scoring on a wild pitch.
Max Wagers held it down on the mound for Chillicothe, facing the minimum through two innings. It was when he began pitching in the third that rain began to fall at Shaffer Park. After a walk and two balls to the ensuing batter, the umpires suspended the game.
It only rained for a few minutes, but by the time it had passed, the infield had large amounts of standing water. The Mudcat players were tasked with getting it back into playing condition, and they made quick work restoring the playing surface.
After a delay of one hour and 18 minutes, play resumed in the top of the third inning. Wagers was replaced by Koby Linder, who with two men on base, surrendered a home run to M.I.N.K. first-team returnee Darius Freeman to put the Mustangs ahead 4-1.
St. Joseph chose Sam Pitts in relief for their post-delay pitcher, who dominated in four innings. The only batter to reach base against him was Tanner Sears with a single in the third.
Chillicothe never got more than one baserunner in any inning, and lost the first game 5-1.
Winning Pitcher: Sam Pitts (3-0)
Losing Pitcher: Koby Linder (0-3)
Time of Game: 1:38
Game 2
In a near-repeat of the first game, the Mudcats scored their first run with a leadoff single from Pinckney. After stealing second and advancing to third on a hit, he swiped home on a play where Jordi Ventura got in a rundown with two out.
That tied the game 1-1, with Caleb Bergman making his second start of the season on the mound. He worked around a leadoff triple in the second inning, getting three straight ground balls to third base. Rafael Calcaño was the man starring at the hot corner.
Chillicothe took a brief 3-2 lead in the third, but would allow four straight Mustangs runs in the fourth and fifth innings to fall behind 6-3.
In danger of being swept, the Mudcats had the top of their lineup hitting in the bottom of the fifth. Pinckney and Peyton Becker both singled, with reigning M.I.N.K. hitter of the week Jordi Ventura driving them both in with a double.
John Spoto tied the game with a single, and two batters later Frandie Fernandez knocked in the go-ahead run to put the Mudcats on top 7-6.
Ryotara Hirayama pitched a scoreless sixth to reach 12 innings pitched this year without allowing a run. He recorded the first out of the seventh, before Tanner Sears was brought in for the save.
Throwing perhaps the hardest velocity seen from the Mudcats this season, Sears finished the Mustangs off by stranding runners on first and second.
It was his third save of the season, and his ten across his five-year Mudcats career is most all-time.
Chillicothe will get an off-day on Wednesday, then will face the non-league Kansas City Monarchs in Trenton on Thursday. With the doubleheader split, they moved to 9-7 this summer, with a 7-7 mark in the M.I.N.K.
Winning Pitcher: Ryotara Hirayama (2-0)
Losing Pitcher: Gage Busby (1-1)
Save: Tanner Sears (3)
Time of Game: 2:05