MINK League Semifinal Round: St. Joseph Mustangs vs Nevada Griffons

MINK League Semifinal Round: St. Joseph Mustangs vs Nevada Griffons

Good evening and welcome to St. Joseph, Missouri, home of Fwell Stadium, home of your St. Joseph Mustangs. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] The Mustangs are your 2024 Meat League champions. [Music] Good evening and welcome inside Phil Welch Stadium in St. Joseph, Missouri for the divisional round matchup of the 2025 Mink League playoffs between your number one seated St. Joseph Mustangs and the number six seated Nevada Griffins. The Mustangs sit one win away from a trip back to the Mink League Championship Series and a chance at their 10th Mink League title after they accomplished winning the regular season, getting the first round by here to the semi-final round. But the Nevada Griffins coming here tonight with upset on their mind. They upset the number three seated Chilikathy Mudcats last night, four to one in Chilikothy. And they’re looking to do the same thing here tonight. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] One team looking to return to glory, the other upset on their mind as I am Truman Greel. Folks, welcome inside here, Phil Welch Stadium. Jackson Phelps alongside with me tonight. And Jackson, I mean, on paper again, this seems like such a David versus Goliath match up, but for the Mustangs, they’ve done just about everything. They won the regular season. They had the top offense, the top pitching staff. Now, that all that separates them from the top of the mountain is three wins. Three wins is the magic number here in the playoffs. This Nevada Griffin’s team, it is a David Goliath situation on the paper, but this is no team to sleep on in my eyes. as they went into chil into Chilikothy, the last team to make it into the playoffs. The Griffins went to number three seated Chilikothy and won a deciding 4 to1 victory. A nice job pitching and hitting. And then also they faced the Mustangs in a double header last Wednesday. They won one of those two 8 to six. But the Mustangs, like you said, they’ve been dominant all season long. The pitching’s been on point. The hitting’s been on point. Base running’s been on been on point. Just the small meticulous things I felt like over the last two home stand games last week with me and you, we saw they worked on a lot of things. And I think they are bringing the best lineup possible tonight into the playoffs to try and get that first victory into play in another Mink League Championship. They say when the calendar turns to July, it separates the boys from the men. And when playoffs roll around, we see just how much hair is on those men’s chest. Playoff action from Phil Welch coming up next as we’ll have national anthem starting lineups here on YouTube. It’s the young gun Ashton Nance who gets handed the ball in a win or go home game here for the Mustangs. Making his fourth start. He’s 3 and 0 this year. And he has been very good. Last time out he pitched six scoreless innings, struck out four, walked four against the Kansas City Monarchs and has only yielded four runs in 17 and a third innings as a starter. He really is one to special to watch. I mean, the young frame as he is, the tall frame that he has, he strikes out a lot of batters and he keeps runs off those boards and that’s exactly who you want to start the playoffs. Getting started for Nevada tonight will be Trey Burton. How’s the first pitch back as we get a look at the Nevada lineup? Only 13 Mly crew man that third base dugout, but this was a 13-man roster that got it done last night. four runs on four hits and capitalized off four Chilikothy air three Chilikathy errors in route to the 4-1 victory. Nance quickly has Burton down 0 and2 and it really was that pitching from Nevada yesterday that did the job and so that’s one thing that the Mustangs are going to have to attack early on. Burton stays alive, just hitting 202, playing in his 34th game, most on the team. He also leads this team with 20 hits. Nance has the strikeout stuff, but we’ve seen him pitch to soft contact a lot. Fast ball just misses off the plate for a ball. [Music] One, two, didn’t get Burton to chase and they’re going to say he did go. They checked with the first base umpire. So, Philip is going to throw it down to George and out number one is on a strike out. Beautiful pitch by Nance. It was just off the plate just enough that it had Burton Gesson. I think it just the hands kept going along with those shoulders. He couldn’t stop himself. Great start. Loved it. I saw it from Nance. The sequence was great. Stuck to that outside half of the plate. Especially I think this is what he’s going to want to do on those right-handed batters here with Nevada tonight. So now it’ll be Jordan Row after the strikeout by Burton. Row hitting right at that Mendoza line. 200. Just one of three guys in this lineup. These top three hitters for Nevada only hitting 200 or above. Everyone else below that line. That one line to right but over is Frank G to make the grab and it’s two quick outs for Nance. Love that pitch from Nance. Kept it up and tight. Not a good amount of space for Ro to be able to get the bat around. did get contact, but since that was so high and up, all he had to do is just drive it out. And G, the speed tonight, especially the outfield tonight, it’s going to be tough to find those gaps tonight in the outfield. Quickly two away for the Griffins. Brings up Nick Kalin, the best hitter on this lineup. 278, just his 13th game. Off the end of the bat, dribbled up the first base line. Will it stay fair? It will. And it’s a quick one, two, three inning for Ashton Nance. Tallies one strike out in the inning. Nevada runs on no hits to the bottom of the first. in this Mustang’s lineup coming up to the plate. Kenny Jennings making his first appearance this summer against the Mustangs, 11th overall most on the team. Will look to replicate the exceptional pitching performance last night by the combination of Landon Fletcher, Evan Hilton, and then Jennings was tasked with getting that final out. 284 RA in 19 innings. Opponents just hitting 208. And Jackson, he’s mainly a closer, but he’s going to look to get a bulk of the innings. And when playoffs come around, it’s not about, oh, you just pitched one inning there, one inning there. They’re going to ride you as long as a team can. They really are. And they’re going to want to look for at least four, maybe five innings out of Jennings tonight. But being that closer, that’s going to be tough. Stamina’s not going to be there. And this is where the Mustangs can go after him early on and attack him. Work up those pitches, get them flustered early on because right now with how many people they br there’s no one in the bullpen, they’re really going to have to pick a guys apart out of the out of the field. It’s going to look like a high school game. They’re going to be picking there, picking there. So, we’re going to see how long they go with Jennings. And they’re hoping that they can get a good bulk from them. And the question for the Mustangs after last weekend was who would be the nine guys that Johnny Koy would write in that lineup come playoff time? And it’s a scary one. Top lineup in the mink league. Frank Gaul has been on fire since his return to the lineup from injury. And Darius, Brain, Luke Hart, Dom Felix, those top four. So scary. And you really can’t sleep on any of them, Jackson. You really can’t. They’re so hard to face at the plate. If it’s not them getting hits, it’s them getting on base. I think that’s what’s the most scary about this Mustangs team. Having Frank go back in the leadoff spot. Had a home run last Saturday. He’s really found his stuff after being injured and what he found back at college. But yeah, this this whole lineup, I feel like Johnny Koy’s done a good job of picking those guys that have really shown out and showed up this year. Last time out for Jennings on the mound, like we said, last night he got a third of an inning, but his last bulk outing was back on July 13th. Two and two/3 scoreless innings, just yielded two hits in a walk and struck out three against the Clarinda A’s in an 11 to 10 loss. There you go. You see that two and two/3 right here. Two and two/3s on the Mustangs. You’re going to want Yeah, like I said, four innings is what I’d say is going to be your cuff line for Jennings tonight before you have to start going through the lineup to pitch. So, we’ll see what he can do here tonight. And it is Frank Gaul to get the Mustang start. And he started off with a fast ball outside. Gaul now appearing in his ninth game. He came back from injury redot. as he grounds one off of Burton at first, but he’s able to field it and just tag Gaul out. So, it’s a quick one out from Jennings. You know, I like I like the aggressiveness from Gall. We saw that last Saturday. He went after the first couple of pitches, ended up getting tagged out at second, but here I liked it. He drove it down the line. Looked what Freeman had last last uh Saturday as well, but it just clipped the glove of Burton and an easy tag for out number one. Now, Darius Freeman, he was awarded with back-to- back Mustangs player MVPs last Saturday, and is in the running for Mink League Player of the Year, third in batting average at 381. He’s also second in home runs with four. This is the right scenario if you’re Jennings that you want to face Freeman. Already an out recorded in the inning and nobody on base. Cannot let those Mustangs stack them. falls behind Freeman 2 and 0. Freeman this season 8 for 15 in four games against the Griffins. Comes in riding a four-ame hit streak. Playing in his 33rd game. leads this team in hits with 45 and is tied for the team lead in doubles with 11. Takes a fast ball on the inside corner and Jennings has battled back now two and two. I like I like the confidence from Jennings facing Freeman here. I know it’s a tough situation getting down 2, but he’s done a good job working himself back. Two twos upstairs now full count. Freeman also leads the Mustangs with 20 stolen bases and is third in the mink in that category, but he swings and misses. And Kenny Jennings answering Ashton Nance with two quick outs and getting his first strike out. Oh man, what some didn’t expect from Jennings here in the first first half for the Mustangs getting the two first batters out. Had him going over the top on Gaul and then the strike out on Freeman after going up two and 0. Impressive stuff from Jennings, but it looks like it’s up to the third third hole man to try and get it going for the Stanks. That third whole man is Braden Lukeart. He’s first pitch pops it up on the infield over his Creek towards third base and he makes the grab and Kenny Jennings answers. Ashton Nance with a quick one, two, three inning. No runs, no hits, nobody left on for the Mustangs. We’re through one here in the Mink League semifinals. 0 0 through one turn at the rack for both teams. Both teams go one, two, three. Ashton now gets the middle of this Griffin order beginning with Bryce Humphrey. Humphrey was 0 for four with a run, an RBI, and a walk in last night’s opening round playoff win. Humphrey out of Oakland City University. He’s quickly ahead 2 and 0 on Nance, hitting just 186 in his 16th game. eight hits and 43 at bats. Now he’s way ahead, three and 0. And it’s like what we were talking about Truman before the broadcast. We were saying those first three guys were the main guys here in the lineup to go towards. But here in the bottom middle half, it’s going to be 50/50s with who’s going to come up for these Griffins. answer responds with a strike. Big rip by Humphre. Fouls it back. Count now goes full. Humphre has scored five runs in his last four games. It’s only two multi-hit games. The payoff pitch from Nance. Broken bat. Look out. Blooped into center. Out goes Ky. In comes Luart to make the sliding grab. Able to avoid the shrapnel to retire Humphrey to begin the second. Watch out. That thing was sharped off the bat. It took itself with it over to the third shortstop side. But an amazing job by Lucart. It’s got all the speed in the world to cover that grass over to the ball. He had Koi that triangle over there with McCollum Koy, but Lucart had the best line on it and a heck of a catch and a slide. Loved what we’ve saw all season long from Mr. Lucart in center. Yet another highlight, real grab for a Mustangs outfielder as Shadrach Salazar’s swinging miss at the first pitch. Salazar still searching for his first hit this season against the Mustangs. 0 for 11 in five games. He’s 0 for three last night with a walk in the win. Tomahawk chop foul down in the count now. One ball and two strikes. Saw a good pitch up. Just got ahead too early. Got the hands around. I mean that swing looked beautiful. Now Nance, another two strike count. One, two from Nance again. Fouled off by Salazar. just able to make contact. Salazar, Arizona Christian University, originally from Web City, Missouri. It’s another one, two, doesn’t offer at the breaking ball. Counts at two a piece. Two two. This time he does chase the slider away and Nance’s second strike out is Shadrach Salazar. You could tell that he was sitting fast ball again. The way he was so out front by the slider. He didn’t really even realize it was a slider until he got the bat across. It was so nasty out of the hands of Nance. So hard to see coming from that right-handed batter spot. That’s your left eye right there. That’s tough to see coming down. So a nice sequence again from Nance. K number two. K number two and strikeout number 17 of the season. It’s now Trenton Creek with two outs. Creek also searching for his first hit. 0 for 11, but he does have three walks in five games played here versus St. Joe. Lofts one to center. Lukeart to his right. Won’t have to lay out this time and he makes another grab. It’s a quick six up, six down for Ashton Nance. looking to see if the Mustangs bats will get started. It’s through an inning and a half. Nevada zero, St. Joe zero Mustangs went one, two, three in the first, but we’ll look to get the offense going here with the middle of the lineup against Kenny Jennings and the Nevada Griffins, who are actually playing good baseball as of late. They’ve won three of their last four after dropping 16 of 17. Five and 14 on the road. They are 1-9 in 10 road games in July. But that one win, Jackson, again was last night against Chilikathy. It sure was. I mean, they’re blooming at the bright time. It was just enough to get them that last spot here in the playoffs. And they’re showing showing teams why they deserve it with that win last night in Chilikathy. Dom Felix get the Mustangs start and he’ll line one into the gap and it will fall. First hit of the night for the Mustangs as a leadoff single in the second by Dom Felix. Beautiful swing. Solid pitch right in the zone, right in his wheelhouse. He got a little bit too He got a little bit behind on it, but that was just enough to split that gap into the center field right field spot. Beautiful swing. Great technique by Mr. Dom Felix getting that hit. He’s been needing a couple of those here in the last couple of times he’s played. So, love seeing him getting another hit. 34th hit of the summer now brings up Jack Mos from Minnesota takes strike one from Jennings. MSH comes in playing in his 32nd game. 38 hits, a 369 batting average good for fourth best in the mink. But just one for nine against the Griffins. He pops one up. Shallow left. In comes Salazar. And he’ll make the grab. That’s one that Masha want back. Probably just want to give that one a look. It was on the inside half. He was behind on it. Jammed him. A great pitch from Jennings to get that out he was needing to start it off. But right there, base runner on for the Mustangs is all they need. That’s what they’ve shown this season. So hopefully they can get something going with Felix on first. Now the young gun Chris Koy, you have to wonder, Jackson, we talked about how much the Sun can battle the defenders, but you wonder if the Sun is maybe having some trouble with the hitters tonight, not picking up pitches out of the hand. It definitely can. I mean, that white orb can definitely out of those hands. You can’t really tell when it gets dark time. There’s no batter’s eye, but that just that black dark skyline with the trees can help with seeing it. But yeah, definitely in that sun. It’s it’s a blistering one here at Phil Welch. Koi a 276 hitter. 29 hits and 105 at bats. Quickly behind 0 and2 though. Coy struggling a little bit as of late. Just seven for his last 35 in his last 10 games. But during that stretch he’s driven in seven runs, scored six, and has walked nine times. So, he’s found ways to be productive even though the hits haven’t been there. Doesn’t chase the breaking ball off the plate. And that’s the kind of ball player you want, especially at his age. Just any way that you can just be productive to the team. He does it on his defense as well. We’ve talked about it many times up here in the booth about how he has just contributed so much to this defensive Mustangs roster. Lock down the starting shortstop roll and he lines one to left. In comes Salazar. Won’t make the grab. And Chris Koy with a one out single now moves Dom Felix into scoring position. Just timed it up perfectly. Fast ball out of the hands. Knew it right away. Got around on it. Just a beautiful drive. Just less of enough of a powerful hit there from Koy to make sure Salazar didn’t have a line on it, but a good job by Koi. Got a hit. Love seeing those two guys, Felix and Ky getting hits here to start off the playoffs. You love to see those guys get confident. Salazar gave it a look. That ball died quickly as it was a mistake on one two from Jennings. Now on the first RBI opportunity of the night, it’s Justin George. Breaking ball off the plate. Ball one. George hitting exactly at 250. Game number 29. Another guy just three for his last 23 in his last seven games. Looking to break through big time in the biggest of spots here in the playoffs. George’s 24 hits and 96 at bats. Eight of those hits are doubles, which is tied for second with Jack Mosh on the team. Has yet to clobber a homer, but still has driven in 16 runs. 11-11’s line to center but right at Humphrey. Felix will tag but hold up as George hit it hard but right at Bryce Humphrey for out number two. It was a line drive right to Humphrey and unfortunately enough that will keep Felix on second. He didn’t want to test Humphrey’s arm. Felix not the fastest guy in the world but he definitely can motor if he needs to. Just there he probably wasn’t going to get the best look with it being that shallow in center field but he’s got some two out magic here in the bottom half. It’ll be Eastston Philippe doing the catching duties tonight with two outs and two men on. Couple of singles in the inning from Dom Felix and Chris Koy. First pitch grounded up the middle. Creek has it. He’ll go the short way to second to retire the side and Kenny Jennings pitches around a couple of singles. Strands a pair as we’re headed to the third here at Phil Welch. Still nothing. No nothing. Get a look here at the top of the third at how the Mustangs line up defensively. In the outfield, Trevor McCollum, Braden Lucart out in center. We’ve already seen make a couple of nice grabs and Frank Gaul in right then and the infield. Dom Felix manning the hot corner for what seems like the thousandth time. Same as Chris Coy and Jack Maj up the middle. than Justin George over at first base. And the battery mates, two high schoolers, Eastston Philippy and Ashton Nance. Two high schoolers that played in the classic state championship game against each other. I know Nance has a little bit of a, you know, a little bit of an edge to Philippy in that remark. But we talked about the outfield. We need to talk about this middle infield. I mean, they’ve shown themselves why they’re the best in the mink. You got Felix who handles those hard hit balls so well. And then we can talk about Ky and Mosh for days with how they handle it. All that stuff in the middle infield. 789 for the Griffins. They’ve gone six up, six down with a couple of strikeouts against Ashton Nance. The designated hitter Rhett Hayes. Hayes did not play last night in Chilikoth, hitting 179, just 12 hits and 67 at bats. Cloud has covered Phil Welch here. Sun hopefully shouldn’t be an issue. Stance misses upstairs now. Three in one. All right. Now the Griffins are just looking for anything just to get something going. You just need that first base runner on the day to maybe, you know, get rid of those nerves because playing here at Phil Welch in the playoff environment, it’s definitely tough to sit in. How’s it straight back? I mean, you talk about that playoff environment, you know. People say, “Oh, there’s there’s no difference between, you know, this game or say when they played last Wednesday in Nevada,” but I mean, there is a difference even though it’s not, you know, it’s just a spoken difference, but you can feel just the atmosphere change when it comes playoff time as Hayes grounds him up the middle. MSH to his right, running away from first base, throws across his body to retire the Griffin’s designated hitter. And there we go, middle infield. And there you go. You get a little bit of a look at what Mosh can do. He fields those to the glove side all the time. And then he has to go across that body. He does it so fluently. One of my favorites to watch. Just playing that second base position. Makes those tough throws look easy. And gets that first out. He knew he didn’t have time to set his feet. He’s such an experienced infielder. Now it’s Xander Miller. Lines one to center. Lukeart came in at first, but then goes back to make the grab. And it’s a quick two outs here in the third. His first step was forward, but he realized that so quick. He didn’t take another step forward. He kind of took forward, you know, sat on those on the front of his feet, but then made himself back. That’s another experienced outfielder who knows, hey, I made a mistake going front, but I can quickly adjust. And Lucart’s one of the best out there. Two quick outs from Nance. Loved what I’m seeing from him as well. It’s almost like that secondary reaction. You know, the initial reaction maybe wasn’t the correct one, but then he’s able to retool and re-react. Now it’s the nine hole. Cal Kosins thought about laying down a bunt. Instead pulls it back. Kosins hitting 092. 6 for 65 as he enters game number 27 in start number 22 in his Griffin campaign in 2025. He was another guy that did not play last night, but he gets the opportunity tonight as he reaches out, grounds one to Koi. Fundamental as ever, and it’s nine up, nine down for Ashton Nance. Every Griffin has had a turn in the batting order and no one has had any success against Ashton Nance. Quick three innings head to the bottom of the third. Mustangs are looking to put the first run up on the board. Griffins have still yet to find a base runner here through their fur three trips to the plate. Meanwhile, the Mustangs scattered a couple singles in the second, but are still looking to crack through against Kenny Jennings. Hey, he’s been doing his he’s been doing his job. Two hits last inning and I think they found his stuff on the fast ball. Now, it’s time to sit back on this bottom half with McCollum. It’s time to see what you can really manage to do. Stack those base runners up. But TR already in the bottom of the third. The game’s been flying by. I feel like it’s time to sit back on an inning and let the Mustangs go to work with those bats. Nine hole inning. Trevor McCollum gets the Mustangs started in their third. It’ll be 91 and two. McCollum Gaul and Freeman. Breaking ball taken for a strike. Column three for 10 in four games played against the Griffins. Six runs scored and has driven in four, but just three for his last 21 in his last six games. One-1 line into left field and a leadoff single here in the third. Third hit of the night for the Mustangs comes by Trevor McCollum. And it’s just so so important in the game of baseball to get that leadoff runner on. And a great start here. Another, you know, just a difference just getting that lead off guy on. And you’re back to the top of the order with guys who know how to hit with people on. So McCollum’s got some speed looking to see if they can maybe advance him over. Get some RBI chances here in the home half of the third. 12 stolen bases for McCollum. It’s Frank Gaul. Grounded out his first round against Jennings. Mustangs already two plus innings into this game have more hits than Chilikothy tallied in a full nine innings last night against this Nevada pitching staff but no runs to show for it. Big hack by G but fouls it back. He’s only played in two games versus Nevada. He’s two for eight. three RBI’s, two runs scored and two walks. Comes in riding an eightgame hitting streak. Ground to the left side, cut off by Miller. He’ll go to second for one over to first. Not going to be in time. Not going to be able to turn two on the speedy go, but the Griffins are able to cut down the leadoff runner in Mcllum. That’s a tough play to make that 54 turn for the double play, especially with the speed that the Mustangs endure on the base paths. Now, McCullum didn’t get the best jump over to second base, but it looked like Cal Kosins was kind of sitting back on his back feet. Didn’t go over to the bag on time. So, that allowed Gull to get that extra couple steps and make it to first. Miller was playing in at the hot corner and it was sharply hit. So, he had to wait, like you said, Jackson, for Kosins to get over to the bag. I’d had a chance had Kosins been closer. Now Darius Freeman pops it up, slams his bat. Humphrey over, makes the grab and after the leadoff single, backto back outs, now have the Mustangs with two outs and still a runner at first. I’ve been really impressed with Jennings. I mean, after giving up that hit last inning, he gave up the extra hit, but he’s found outs in between. And that’s exactly what you want from your starter to just get those outsided the hits. So, three hits already for the Mustangs, but nothing to show for it. Two quick outs right after that leadoff hit and it’s just time go time. Let’s get a two out rally going. Three singles but nothing backto back between Felix’s and Koi singles in the second. There was a fly out. Mustangs have yet to be able to stack anything as it’s Brain Lukart popped up to Trenton Creek to end the first. G on first. Three for four in his stolen base attempts this summer. Nice pitch of the knees for strike one. Jennings has kept these Mustangs hitters on their toes mixing fast ball and breaking ball. And another one popped up. Basically the same exact play except it’s Miller just on the infield grass and Kenny Jennings is seeing Ashton Nance and matching him. Three innings, three shutout innings for both pitchers. We’re already cruising through this game a third of the way through. Still no runs on the board headed to the fourth here in St. Joe. Nothing nothing. Scorcher tonight here at Phil Welch. 89 degrees as you’d think. Maybe with the second to last week of July upon us, might the temperatures be going back down a little bit? But no. One of the hottest weeks of the summer. 89. And so far, both offenses have been cold, but the pitching staffs are redot. Nevada still looking for their first base runner. Meanwhile, the Mustangs have scattered three singles. Jackson, nine up, nine down for Nance. I mean, that’s exactly what you want. Start the playoffs hot. And Nance has found himself his footing. And I think it’s going to be tough for the Griffins to come back. He’s starting to find his prime right here in the middle half of the game. It’s going to be tough to come back, but you just need that base runner on for either of these squads. I mean, the Mustangs have seen it three times, but you just got to you just got to lock in. You got to get some stolen bases. Get ready to get going. It’s the playoffs. You’re here to play. Why not take the extra base? Why not take the extra step, you know? Why not? Big swing on a breaking ball from Trey Burton to start the Griffin fourth. Burton out of Le Moine Owen College. Struck out his first time around against Nance. It’s the first time since July 9th that he had struck out in a game. He had gone eight games without striking out. Nance able to get him the first time around. Chasing a breaking ball now off the hands. Grounded right to Justin George. He’ll go to a knee, but Trey Burton is retired for the second time. Beautiful pitch from Nance. He was behind on on Burton there. Put one on the inside. That was just a tough swing from Burton to get something off on. And George is at the right place at the right time. That’s his second unassisted. So, he’s manning his island over there pretty dang well here to start his game. Now, Jordan Row, guy who’s hit the ball the hardest. Lined one to Frank G in the first. 0 for one. Currently rides a three-game hit streak. Singular hit in his last three opportunities. He’s at an ant. Ant has fallen behind some of these Griffin hitters, but he’s been able to work back. Has really shown some maturity out on the mound. And there will be the Griffin’s first base run of the night. Fast ball ran too far inside and Jordan Row reaches on a hit by pitch. It looks like that at bat and N was just lost within himself. Went down two. You know, he went to the Rosenbag to kind of recollect those thoughts, but after that he wanted to get that fast ball in the inside half trying to freeze Row there and it just did not work in his favor. Ran two inside off the hands and that’s something that you want to look at. Double plays in order, but hopefully that’s not something that comes back to bite. Ashton NY’s been pitching the lights out. A little bit of an announcers jinx on that one, I might have to say. And I mean with this heat, a lot of these players be sweating truckloads. And I know Nance wants to keep that hand dry. That way he’s able to grip the ball better. Nick Kalin lines one left center field, but it’ll hang up just enough and Brain Lucart will make a running grab. Blue cart’s man that island really well. Another great catch from him. He was more on that right side of center field, but it’s no problem with his speed making it over. And so a good big out from Nance to make it two and a little bit easier with a runner on. Now with two outs and still that runner at first, it’ll be Bryce Humphrey. Humphrey flew out to Lukeart. His first battle against Nance in the second. Humphrey two for 16 with three RBI’s in four games played against the Mustangs. Take strike one at the knees. Mustangs have taken five of the six regular season matchups, but Nveda did win the last one, eight to six in a double header last Wednesday. Nevada has been outscored 53-7 by this Mustangs team. Those eight runs in that win were the most they’d scored by a long shot in the six matchups as Humphrey now takes a fast ball at the belt. Not happy with the call, but he’s down one and two. That’s just one you know that’s going to be called. It’s a late strike, late two outs in the inning. You got to come with your best stuff at that two out approach and you got to get that bat around on one of those. One, two, breaking ball inside. Doesn’t get the call. A stone cold take from Humphrey at that keeps going. It’s a good pitch. Would like to see a fast ball after that off speed on maybe on the outside half. Runner goes and it’s hit to the right side in the vacated hole where Jack Mosh was. So Ro will go first to third and Humphre reaches on the first hit for the Griffins. Beautiful approach from Humphrey. Saw the hole open up. He was behind on the outside fast, but he got it through that hole. Masha would have been right at him, but MSH was going after the steal on the right-handed batter. That opens up that hole to the outfield. Great approach from Humphrey, and that moves the runner all the way over to third. Now runners on the corners and the first time we’ve seen a a man 90 ft away from home the whole time this game. Now Shadrach Salazari struck out swinging and he pops the first pitch up right behind home plate. Off go the mask. Off go the helmet and into the glove goes the ball as Ash Janance faces a little bit of heat in the fourth but he works around a hit by pitch and a single. We’re headed to the bottom of the fourth. Still a couple big old donuts and plenty of sugar on the scoreboard. Looking for our first run here in the Mink League semifinals. Dom Felix will get the Mustangs started here in the fourth as Ashton Nance able to work around a hit by pitch in a single and the threat for the Griffins turns out to just be a Moo point. It was a good one. You know, he had a good Humphrey had a good approach moving um moving the runner all the way over to third. They had the opportunity. Salazar just got two underneath the fast ball, but Jennings on the mound against these Mustangs. They’ve put up three hits. They’re still looking for their first run. So, through the first three for the Mustangs, they’re quiet. Felix has one of those three hits. It was a first pitch single in the second, but he was stranded at second base. Felix just his third game versus Nea this season as he’s way out in front of a breaking ball now down 0 and two. In the previous two, he’s two for seven, three runs scored, an RBI and a walk. And one of those hits was a double. 02 is roped into left. Salazar over but right at him as Dom Felix gets robbed yet again on a hard hit ball to left field. Probably the biggest victim of the Phil Welch graveyard so far this season. and he has a bunch of hard hit balls, especially to that left field side. He’s a big pole hitter and he got ahead on that one. He put a good barrel to it. I just think he didn’t get the meat of that bat. Once again, if he hits that meat of the bat that definitely does get over the head of Salazar, maybe trails the wall, but just a good approach. I want him to keep swinging like that, you know, don’t lose that confidence cuz one of those will for sure work out here. Now, Jack Mosh flyed out to Salazar out and left his first time up. So with that out recorded, Kenny Jennings now in his longest tied for his longest stint of the season and that goes all the way back to his first appearance in the first game for the Griffins when he went three in the third innings and picked up a save in a 4-1 win over Chilikoth. He only allowed one hit, one walk and struck out four. See, it’s Jack Mosh down 0 and two, but MSH will just slap one into left field and it’ll fall. Good O2 approach from Jack Mosh. And it’s a one out single. I’ll agree with you, Jim. Great approach. Saw something close to the zone, a little bit down towards the knees, but he went down and got it just to make sure. And right there, it’s another time Mos just is able to squeak it past the infield into the outfield. One of the best hitters here in the Mustangs and to the mink showing why. And now it’s time for the Mustangs to get something going. Runner on. Bottom of the fourth. Let’s get him around. Fourth single for the Mustangs. 39th hit of the year for Mosh. Chris Ko is another guy who has one of those four with a one out single through the left side in the second. Two and0 now to Ky. That hit was Koi’s fourth of the year against Nevada pitching. Playing in his seventh game versus the Griffins on 200. Pops one foul territory. Burton over and he has enough room to make the grab for out number two. That’s another at bat that these Mustang hitters are going to want back. Especially Koy there. That’s a pitch upstairs that’s going to be tough to judge. He did want to get a bat on it because he thought he could get around. Just jammed him on the inside. Put one on an easy line in foul territory for Burton. Now two outs. Mustangs are just looking to get something around the bases in hopes to not go down once again to Jennings. It almost seems like they’re trying to do too much instead of, you know, knowing knowing how important runs are, especially in the playoffs. Just trying to do too much. Seen a lot of popups, a lot of guys getting under it. Guy who didn’t get under it, Justin George. just lined it right at Humphre pretty much just like that. Humphrey’s got a bad read but he comes in and two at bats for Justin George and two line outs to center as Kenny Jennings strands another. Scatters the fourth hit. Mustangs still can’t muster a run headed to the fifth here at Phil Welch. Zero zero. So far, deadlocked at zero. Neither team able to break through against the others pitching as this this semifinal game here in 2025. Just a bit closer than 2024 semifinal for the Mustangs, which was a comfortable 93 victory over the Merchants Jackson. I mean, the later we get into the game, the more likely it seems like one run is going to win this ball game. It’s all it’ll take. I feel like it’s going to give the other team an edge. That one run could turn into five, six, but who knows? Maybe that one run, like you said, Trimman, could just stick around and be that last punch to this team season. So, the pitching has been phenomenal from both sides, but it’s whose bats are going to wake up. Griffin’s got their first couple base runners in the fourth. They stranded runners at the corners. Trenton Creek fly to Braden Lucart out in center. His first time up. Now he’s down one and two to Nance. Creek comes in three straight games tallying two RBI’s. He’s walked in four straight games. He’s found ways to be productive for this Griffin team. Another popup shallow left center in comes Trevor McCollum and he’ll make the grab and Trenton Creek is retired for the second time. For any kids watching at home, I mean from up here in the booth I could hear McCollum’s loud voice say ball right off the bat. How important it is especially in those blooper situations when you have three guys crashing towards it. McCllum prominent in his voice. I got it. Ball ball. That’s exactly what you want out of an outfielder in McCllum. Now Red Hayes, he was way ahead three and 0 his first trip around against the Mustang starter, but then ended up grounding out to Jack Mosh. Makes him now one for 10 here in his fourth game against St. Joe. He has scored a run and drawn a walk. fouls. Another fast ball off. Griffins haven’t been able to time up that Ashton Nance fastball yet. They really haven’t gotten comfortable with Nance’s timing. He’s get on the rubber and go. One, two, offerings outside. It really is that modern style type of pitching these days with most of these high schooler kids. I mean, they’re on the mound, one step and go. Bance with that fast ball and how long that arm length is. It’s tough to see. Line to center. Lukeart shielding his eyes and he never saw it. Never saw the liner from Hayes. And Rhett Hayes reaches with a one out single. As Mustangs fans, we are kind of hoping for that clouds we were seeing the last couple of innings to stick around there because Lukart just ate up the sun. He was in the perfect spot. Just need to shift over to his right a little bit more. But that’s a tough break for the Mustangs. And now one out. Double plays in order to put that ball on the ground here in the middle half. Second hit for the must for the Griffins, excuse me. 13th hit of the season for Rhett Hayes is now with one out. It’s Xander Miller responds with a first pitch strike. It was one of those locations on those liners, Jackson, that if that ball’s a little bit higher, Luke Hart probably sees it. But it stayed. It was off the bat. It was in the sun and it just stayed in the sun. It was tough because it was in that ey line, you know, you just can’t see it anywhere off the bat just because it’s right there in his eyes the whole time. Even now between pitches, basically Braden Lucart has his right arm with his glove just pretty much fixated in that position. All three outfielders have sunglasses on, but sometimes, I mean, you need even more protection against the Suns. There’s a good block on a breaking ball from Philipp. We have yet to see either team get a successful stolen base. Griffins did attempt one back in the fourth and it worked. Jordan Row was able to vacate second base as Jack Mosh went over the cover and Bryce Humphrey reached on a single. But there’s strikeout number three from Ashton Nance as Xander Miller goes down swinging. Just goes back to his reliable fast ball. Just blew it right past him. Just getting couldn’t get the foot down in time. And beautiful sequence again from Nance. He’s really showing his stuff, especially with runners on. He seems more comfortable. But like back to what you said about the stolen bases, if there’s only one only a couple things that the Mustangs Kryptonite is, it’s allowing stolen bases. Nine hole hitting Cal Kosins now with two outs and still the runner at first base and Rhett Hayes. Kosen’s grounded out to Chris Koy in the third. He’s now ahead of Nance. Two and 0. Even though we’ve seen plenty of guys ahead of Nance, two and0, three in one, two and one. Doesn’t seem to affect Nance. Reaches out, pokes one off Felix, but he’s able to recover and throw out Kosen’s to George and Strand that runner at first base. Just the one out single from Red Hayes. Griffins still scoreless through five. Mustangs are looking to put some runs up on the board as we’re headed to the bottom of the fifth here in the 2025 Mink League semifinals between the St. Joseph Mustangs and the Nevada Griffins here on YouTube. 2025 Mink League semifinal round here between the St. Joseph Mustings and the Nevada Griffins. I’m Truman Greel. Jackson Phelps alongside me now. If you’re just joining us in Jackson, I mean, we’re halfway through this game and I really think besides when will either team score, who will be the first to break the scoreless tie, but it’s really a question of how much gas is in the tanks for both starting pitchers because I mean, we talked about in the open, but it’s playoffs time. That means really you can more or less throw the cards out of like, hey, you’re only going four innings out, you’re only going five innings. And especially for Nevada, I mean, they only have 13 guys here tonight. I mean, Kenny Jennings has been phenomenal. Do you just let it ride until he gives up that run? I mean I mean are you just letting him ride the whole time at this point? I think that’s what the plan of attack is. You were wanting four or five. You’re here in the fifth. He’s done a great job keeping a zero on the board. I was expecting them to pull with maybe two three runs on. He’s done his job, but he’s looking to see if he can continue getting through here in the middle half. So love what I’m seeing from him, but it’s time for the Mustangs to attack. He’s a closer. He’s probably losing some of that stamina. Then they’re going to have to go out of the guys from the field. So if there’s a time to attack, it’s now. leads the team with three saves and he gets the 891 hitters in this St. Joe lineup. Jennings has scattered just four measly singles. The only inning the Mustangs have had more than one base runner was back in the second. Dom Felix and Chris Koy both singled, but nothing came of that. Easton Philippy was the guy who ended the second grounding into a fieldielder’s choice. Now he chases a fast ball outside. Two balls and two strikes. I like that location from Jennings. He went back to back outside fast balls. Philippy wasn’t expecting that. He was expecting maybe an off speed trailing towards the inside half, but like that spot clips one stays alive. I mean, we’ve talked about it. Jennings. Again, we don’t know if it’s the sun, but he’s just done a phenomenal job of keeping these Mustangs hitters off balance and uncomfortable in the box. Something we just haven’t seen all season from St. Joe. Yeah, that was my next comment. I agree. I think it’s just something that we haven’t seen. They know how to time up these pitchers. They at least just know how to put the ball into play. And it might just be something. This is the first time Jennings is facing St. Joe and so maybe just not the familiarity. I mean, you’re playing the rest of these mink mink league teams five, six, seven times a year. But Philippies on a full count pitch line to right, but in comes Ro to rob another Mustangs hitter of another hit. That’s a great approach from Philippi on a full count. Saw something on the on that inside half that he’s been sitting on and he pulled it. A beautiful swing, but another Phil Welch graveyard spot is ready for Mr. Philippy’s fly ball. Happened to Felix out in left. It’s going both sides. They’re just looking for that hole in that outfield. Too much top spin. If that ball has just a little bit more backspin, that ball may be going off the wall. And Philippy may be digging for extra bases. Trevor McCollum singled in the third. One for one. [Music] his fourth hit of the year against Griffin pitching and it broke a three for 21 stretch he had been going through in his last six games a big rip at a breaking ball down one and two might also be a thing of Jennings has just been attacking the strike zone I mean Mustangs how often have they worked a lot of walks leading to a hit as there’s Another strike out. Chases the slider outside. The second strike out for Kenny Jennings. It was a great pitch. McCollum was not expecting that. It almost looked like a two seam fast ball out of the hands. Just kept cutting. Maybe even a cutter fast ball just on the other outside half of the plate. That’s just so hard to see out of the hands. Jennings just messing with the timing once again. And he’s doing such a great job in his middle half with two quick outs. Now back to the top and Frank Gaul. He did reach bases last time up on a fieldielder’s choice, but is officially 0 for two. So now Jennings officially Jennings longest outing of the summer. Now four and two/3 and continuing to just mow down these Mustangs hitters like he’s riding a John Deere lawn mower. Call came into this game hitting 417, clubbing his first homer in the regular season finale against Jeff City, but he rolls over one up the first base line. Quick tough play from Jennings and he flips it to Trey Burton to retire the side. Kenny Jennings, Ashton Nance. A pitching duel with the season on the line for both teams. Win or go home. And it’s been fireworks. Just not the kind of fireworks most fans expected. We’re headed to the sixth already here at Phil Welch. And it’s still a scoreless 000 ball game. Ashenance looking very strong here as he enters his sixth inning of work. And I mean Jackson in theory both teams are down to their final 12 outs. And I I we said this last inning, but it’s really starting to feel like whoever gets that one run might just win this game. The more we get down to those outs, the more we see these innings go down, it really is becoming prominent. Just one is the magic number in this pitching duel. Nance rock solid. Same thing for Jennings, who’s not a starter. Rock solid. We’ve seen some big things. The Griffins are kind of shocking the mink league world the last two nights here in the playoffs. Top of the lineup for the Griffins. Trey Burton, Jordan Row, and Nick Kalin. Just six combined hits and seven combined base runners. No extra base hits. It’s been six singles and a hit by pitch. It’s pretty much the only offense we have seen as both pitchers have been on fire and we’re an hourish into this ball game and I mean we’re already in the sixth inning. That sun hasn’t even left the infield. It’s one to say. I mean we don’t we haven’t seen this at all here at Phil Welch even in the regular season as it is. It’s something you just don’t see. Pitching duel at Phil Welch. No walks given up. I mean, that’s something that you talked about the Mustangs have been so good at drawing those walks. Not a single walk has been drawn. It’s just something that we haven’t seen. Unfamiliarity to start the playoffs, but one, it’s still that magic number. Both pitchers have just been attacking the zone over and over and have really had no chance for walks. One, two pitches upstairs to Burton. But again, I mean, the more we go deep into this game, the more the question raises of when extra innings comes around by a landslide. The Mustangs have a deeper bullpen. So that’s why for Nevada, it’s just how much can they get out of Kenny Jennings before they’re just forced to change pitchers. You know, I think it’s does Neda have a bullpen, which I don’t think they do. I mean, we got a bunch of guys in the home home bullpen. It’s just that’s going to be something that could bite Nevada tonight, not bringing on a bunch of pitching staff because that’s the thing that Mustangs have been able to attack these teams with. Always having a fresh arm that comes in and is rock solid out of that pen. And definitely on the offensive end attacking the tired arm. It’s on 3-2. It’s grounded to Kyo. He’s going to have to make a quick throw to get the speedy Burton. Annie will the third time Trey Burton has been retired in this game. 3-2. Nance doesn’t try to do anything too fancy. Just puts it right back down the zone and makes Burton go to work. I love that from Nance. A lot of guys on that 3-2 count like to get something fancy with an off speed on the other side of the plate. Nance was like fast right down. Just got Burton tied up on a chopper. So, a good first out there from Nance. The one out, it’s Jordan Row. He was the first of the three Griffins to reach base. and he reached base after getting hit by a 200 fast ball back in the fourth. Ashton Anton’s longest outing of the season was six and a3 innings. currently sits at five and a third in counting. He has row down 0 and2 at six and a third was back on June the 22nd at Carol got the win in that one. Was 02 fast ball just off the plate. Philippy tried to frame it and bring it back in but our home plate umpire was not phased. now on one two. Pulls the string with the slider and he gets Jordan Rose swinging. Big strike out. That’s a big ump pitch there from Nance. Another fast ball that just blown by one of these Griffin’s hitters. Taco time here in the playoffs for the first time. And Nance again, it’s it’s really tough to judge of when he’s done because I feel like he’s still in his groove. He has not missed a beat. Is still finding that zone. Nick Kalin digs in for the third time against Nance. And I mean, you know, talking again, we talked about the questions for Nevada, you know, how long do they go with Jennings because of their limited amount of pitching? It’s kind of the opposite for St. Joe. How long do you go with Nance because of your surplus amount of pitching? I mean, if if you’re playing for a Mink League Championship, and that series, it’s a best of three, potentially goes the full three games. That’s Saturday. Theoretically, Nance could come back and make a start if he hasn’t thrown too many pitches. Or are you just saying, “Hey, Nance, this is your only start of the postseason. go out, give us all you have for however much you law, however long you have, and we’ll just figure it out the rest of the week. You know, a dangerous thing for these Mink League opponents to judge is a a fresh Mustangs bullpen. One, twos sky down the right field line. Gives it a look. It’s out of play. But just that freshness, if you have a multiple surplus of arms out of that bullpen and starters, if Nance can come back, that’s scary. Scary stuff to have to look at and say, “Hey, we don’t have what they have.” Another O2’s fouled off. Kalin stays alive. He’s flyed out and grounded out his first two trips. Dig into that right hand batter against Nance. looking to finish off six shutout innings here in the Mink League semifinals. Doesn’t get him to chase the slider. Two two from Nance. Fouled off yet again. Kalin staying alive and giving Nance a battle. Team tops hitter. I you know he he knows that in this type of situation he’s got to keep himself up at the plate with two outs. He wants to be that guy to come through in the biggest moment right here at the top of the sixth. You’re in that final third half getting close to that final third half. It’s time to be that guy and I think Kalin realizes that. Eighth pitch of the atbat called strike three right at the knees. Big time strikeout for Ashenance. strikeout number five and he polishes off six shut out innings with back-to back strikeouts. He’ll head back to the home first base dugout, praying that his offense can finally crack the code. That is Kenny Jennings. We’ll be back with the bottom of the sixth here on YouTube as your Mustangs and the Griffins still deadlocked at zero runs a piece. You know, Jackson, as we enter the bottom of the six, still zero. Usually say grab your popcorn when there’s an offensive showcase. What do you say when there’s a pitching duel? I mean, do you grab your favorite candy? You go in with maybe something salty, maybe grab some crackers, chips and dip. I mean, h man, grab ibuprofen for some of that headache of let’s get something going. But the other thing that I’m grabbing, Snickers bar, because I feel like these boys are hungry. When you’re hungry, you need a Snickers bar. And I think they’re just ready to get something going on those base pads. Definitely when you’re not yourself, you need a Snickers as Darius Freeman chases a pitch in the dirt. Freeman, one of those guys. 0 for two. And he’s been just the heart and soul of this team. A fan favorite here in St. Joe. If there be a guy to come through in this situation, it would be Freeman. And he lost one to left. It takes Salazar back, but he runs it down just in front of the warning track. Freeman gave it a good ride, but he’s now 0 for three. That’s a good swing. It was trailing to the left off the bat. Um, it looked like it could have escaped Salazar zone cuz he was playing on the shallower, more right side on the screen in left field, but it just trailed up enough. Salazar had the time. The swings are looking good by these Mustangs. They’re just getting unlucky with the way these Griffins have positioned themselves in the defense tonight. Now Braden Lukeart is also over to a couple of infield popups. Came into this game seven for9 with nine runs scored and a homer against the Griffins in five games. But again out in front, it just seems like whenever the Mustangs are sitting on a pitch, Jennings is able to read their mind and throw a different pitch and get them way out in front. 01 is outside. Lucart also comes into this game riding a four-game hitting streak. During that stretch, he’s six for 13, a double, couple of homers, and 10 runs driven in. Seventh in the Mink batting average at 333. Jennings has him down. One ball, two strikes. Jennings is working. He’s messing up with his tempo again. And I think the Mustangs just haven’t been able to get it timed. Like you said, Sherman, it’s just been a battle in the mind. Doesn’t chase that one two offering. Lucart could have a 16game hitting streak, but he had his 11ame hitting streak broken July 13th at Jeff City, so a week ago Sunday. He’s been hot since returning to this lineup, but rolls over, just outside of first. Lucart from Missouri Southern, but was born and raised here in St. Joe. Used to be a mink league team down in Joplin, Joplain Outlaws. But slowly over the years, we’ve seen mink league teams come and go, but a staple has been St. Joe. Lafayette High School. It’s where he was at in his high school days at St. Joe. Now the payoff pitch from Jennings inside ball four and the Mustangs have a base runner after Jennings had retired six batters in a row. First walk for any of the squads tonight. Great job by Lucart working it out to a full count right now for the Mustangs. I would love to see them be aggress aggressive with Lucart with his speed. Would love to see him be in um scoring position with one out. I feel like they’ve gotten themselves in those scoring positions just that one time back in the second, but it came at a bad time with two outs. So, it’s time to get it going. Lucart is a perfect 17 for 17 stealing bases. Haven’t yet to see the Mustangs try and swipe a bag tonight, which is very uncharacteristic. They are just so so good at creating that chaos. Dom Felix arguably has had the best couple of at bats against Jennings. He singled and then he roped one to left but right at Shadrach Salazar. This one he just pops it straight up on the infield. Kosins is over and with two hands squeezes it for out number two. I mean, another one that just caught up on a Mustangs hitter on the inside half. I mean, Felix wanted to poke something into the outfield. Got two underneath that with his wood. That was just a tough break again. Two outs. Base runner on. Would love to see Lucart going off here in this at bat. Jack Mosh is also one for two. Before that walk to Lucart, he had been the last Mustang to reach opposite field single back in the fourth. But now with two outs and a runner on first. Pitch in the dirt. Luke Hart got a great read. Throw down not in time. And there is a little bit of chaos being created as Braden. Lukeart read that breaking ball in the dirt from the hand to the m of Kayn. Great job by Lucart. And he was already an extra step ahead. And once that ball hit the ground, he was off. And it did not give enough time for Kalin to throw down to Creek. Now an RBI chance for MSH. Perfect guy just behind 40 hits with 39. Off the end of the bat, diving stab made by Jennings. Throw over and a huge roar out of Kenny Jennings. Six shutout innings for the man who hadn’t gone more than three and a third and keeps this game tied. We’re headed to the seventh. Still nothing nothing here in the 2025 Mink League semifinals. entering the seventh. I’ve still yet to pick up my highlighter as no runs have come across, but Ashton Nance has the confidence from his manager, Johnny Koy, back out for his seventh inning of work and gets the 456. the meat of this neato order looking to throw up another zero. I think what you were going back to Truman of how long do you want to go if you want to see him again in the playoffs. I think they’re like Nancy the only man that can keep us in the playoffs right now with how he’s been pitching. It’s time to get to that time in the bottom third half. It’s it’s crunch time. Crunch time is started by Bryce Humphrey. He’s one for two. It was his single that really has the only real opportunity for Nevada that they’ve had. Put runners at the corners with two outs all the way back in the fourth. What’s at stake here tonight is a trip to the mink league championship series which will begin Thursday. It’s one sky to center. Luke Hart back but he’s under it and makes the grab. I mean, that was probably one of the better hits off the bat we’ve seen from a Griffin. Um, just trailed just enough. It was going into that sun, so I was getting a little bit nervous for Mr. Lucar, but why would I get nervous? He He owns that spot out in center field. Just the mishap a couple innings ago, but that was hard to see. Just a great job getting that first out. The leadoff man retired. Just throw up that extra zero. Got to trust your offense. It’s going to get going sometime. First time all season I think Braden Lucart has still had to shield his eyes from the sun in the seventh inning of a game here at home as Mustangs have had no afternoon start games. It’s all been 6:30 or 7. But we’re here 7:57 Central Standard Time. The sun is still very much out as it’s Shadrach Salazar Nanscom to pop up to Philippy to end that threat back in the fourth. Now he gets him off the end of the bat. Ky going to have to make a tough play and he gets Salazar by a step. I mean, just off the off the the intangibles right now, Nance is doing an amazing job making his defense be the ones cuz right now you’re starting to lose that that velocity and stamina. It’s all about putting it into the ground for the defense or putting it out in the air for the outfields. But a great job. Koi did his job up the middle. That’s a tough play to get. Salazar not the fastest guy, so gave Koi an extra step. Big two outs for Nance. Couple of flyyous for Trenton Creek as he digs in for the third time with two outs and nobody on now officially Nance’s longest outing of the summer. Surpassing that start back in Carol now six and two/3. He’s still razor sharp. And I mean I guess the question now for Nance is as a high schooler you only play a maximum of seven seven innings. You know that is the you know more or less unless you go into extras. So, how used to is Nance going more than seven? I mean, that the jump to college ball, you’re gonna need some point to have that stamina. Yeah, it’s really going to back to that college thing. It’s going to look really good for his college tape going into his wherever he wants to decide to go in his freshman season. Nance committed to Johnson County Community College. JCCCC. Yep. You think if he can have a good season there, there might be some division one schools that come calling his number. He’s on three run with two outs here in the seventh. Trenton Creek draws a walk. First walk issued by Ashton Nance. There it is. Jennings gave up a walk last inning with one out given and he came back and got the two outs. Now, a two-out walk isn’t the worst thing. The way Nance has been pitching into the defense, I’m not worried. I think he gets the job done here. But Griffins, I mean, they have shown that they can come after some teams with runners on. They saw it last night against Chilikathy. They’re looking for one as well. Nevada capitalized off airs last night by Chilikathy. Played two runs in two separate innings. With two outs, it’s Rhett Hayes single to center his last time up. Now on 10, it’s lined into left. In comes McCollum. A tumbling grab made by Trevor McCollum robs Rhett Hayes of a hit and keeps Nava with a big old zero on the scoreboard. What a play by McCollum. I mean with everything there. If he misses that ball that could get past him maybe scores. Creek goes all out. He knows what’s at stake here as we head into the final third half. What a job by Mel. We’ve stretched here at Phil Welch, but not much. I mean, maybe maybe a little bit to stretch it because we haven’t gotten out of our seats yet. No runs by either team. Just six measly singles. Both teams now each had a walk. But it’s been all about the pitchers. Ashton Nance for St. Joe. And the man right now on the bump, Kenny Jennings for Nevada. Right now with Jennings, you know that he’s not used to going this far, especially with Nance as well. I mean, both pitchers are in spots that they’ve never been in. And right now, I just have that feeling, you know, that baseball feeling that I feel like the Mustangs, it’s time to crack through. You’re here in the seventh inning facing Jennings. I mean, he’s almost doubled his maximum spot out on a mound. So, it’s time. I feel like they’ve seen his pitches. They’ve seen what he’s given. They’ve gotten three or more at bats. I think it’s time that they finally crack open, get multiple hits, maybe work some more walks, just at least work him up in the count. That’s what I would say is your best step. 678 for St. Joe. Led off by Chris Koy. Who will be the Mustang to come through big for their team and get the momentum back in the dugout and give some life? It’s been very quiet from that home first base dugout. A duck out that is known for being very runchy has really had not much to chirp about tonight. Koi is one of the four hits for the Mustangs. It was all the way back in the second inning. Really the only time that the Mustangs have threatened. Had runners at first and second and only one out. Kenny Jennings able to get out of it. Last thing they had a runner at second and one out. But again, Jennings able to just hunker down. Now a high chopper up the middle. Creek has to wait on it. Make a quick throw and he will. Great defense being played behind Kenny Jennings here tonight. Retires Chris Koy off the bat. It was a good swing. It just got on top of it early on and that’s why it put a such a pop highf fly to Creek. But he had to make it quick. Koi with such fast speed but a creek a good transfer to the hands. didn’t lose it on the transfer. Just a good defensive play for the first out. It’s been wonderful defensively for the Griffins who last time they were here at Phil Welch, they were here for back-to-back games. They had six errors in one of those two games. Tonight looks just like a completely different defensive squad, playing freely and loosely. And not at all do they seem tight making plays. And this is the number six seated, last seed to make it into the playoffs versus the number one. They are knowing that they are David. And now Justin George, another line drive, and this one finally falls. He’d been robbed a couple times, but now finally gets his first hit of the night. That’s one George was waiting for. He got ahead of it, pulled it in a beautiful swing. Now with one out, another base runner on first with one out. How far do you want to try it? George isn’t the fastest guy, but it’s time to get aggressive, especially at the plate. 25th hit for George this season. brings up Eastston Philippy. Georgia guy not known for his base stealing. D is seven for seven including four of those coming against the Griffin. So he definitely has been able to time up Griffin pitching nicely. Not going the first pitch. Philippy takes it outside. Philippy got robbed of a hit his last time up. Jordan Roing a nice play out and right Kansas City, Missouri native. Graduated from Staley High School now with the days that keep on going by is now running on two and a half months. He’s closer to starting his freshman year of college than he is graduating from high school. He’s ahead 2 and0. Jennings might be starting to tire a little bit. How much gas is left in that tank if he remember to fill up before the game? Now 3 and 0. First three and 0 count we’ve seen all night from Jennings. 3 0 is just low and Eastston Philippy works a walk. First time tonight we’ve seen the Mustangs back up good at bat with a good at bat and now it’s a real threat brewing here in the bottom of the seventh. And after that threat, four straight pitches that are balls to Philippy. We’re going to get a mound visit. And right now it’s about Jennings is how long until you want to shake it up and see some other arms. But that’s when stuff gets dangerous. Especially in the bottom of the seventh, you’re starting to get to that, you know, that that cranky bottom half because Mustangs put runs on the board. You run out of your time to get runs back on the board before it gets to that ninth inning whenever you’re at the top of the ninth and you may be down three, four runs that stacked up when these last couple of chances the Mustangs are coming to the plate. So scary situation if you’re the Griffins, but the Mustangs right now, perfect time to attack. Runner on second with an out. It is the nine hole Trevor McCollum with the aunt Frank G the leadoff spot stands on deck. Update on the other mink league playoff game going on. Jeff City lead the Carol Merchants 3 nothing in the bottom of the third. Winner of that will play Clarinda tomorrow night. And then the winner of that game will then host the Mustangs on Thursday with then games two and if needed game three of the Mink League Championship Series. being played and just said that the Mustangs were going to be going and my partner gave me a look. But, you know, it’s it’s No, I love it. I love it. Sometimes you got to speak it into existence. I love it. I love the confidence. Had a little bit unlucky announcer jinxes tonight, but maybe saying it one more time can spark some life. McCollum has had big hits this season. He had a walk-off hit against Clarinda earlier this year. He fouls one off in that same game. He also had the game tying hit. He’s a guy who lives for the moment, lives for the opportunity, likes so many of these Mustang players that are just begging Johnny Koy to let them have the bat with the game on the line. Fast ball just misses off the plate. Jennings a lot of small misses here in the seventh. Just hasn’t gotten the calls to go his way. Especially in this late half, especially on the outside half with those fast balls. They’re just missing the chalk. One, two, one. Grounded. Jennings goes to third and a heads up play by Kenny Jennings cuts down the lead off runner and George for the second out. I mean, wow. This is a great defensive play by Jennings. He decides to get it off the hop. He has enough time to make that throw over to third. George was not far enough down the line to make it in a competitive play, but now two outs. Runner on second. What an out for the Griffins, but they’re still dealing with the leadoff man to try and bring that run home. Frank G looking for his first hit. 0 for three. Mustangs have still yet to get a guy on even third base. only had one runner on third base and that was for the Griffins way back in the fourth inning. Crowd that has shown up here at Phil Welch wanting something to cheer about. It’s been quiet most of the night trying to get their team in it. G ahead two and0 and an even more dangerous man Darius Freeman stands on deck. I know Kenny Jennings does not want to allow G to get on and have to face Freeman. G lines one that will fall into left field. Making the turn heading home is Philippe. The throw not in time. Frank Gaul breaks the scoreless tie with a go-ahead RBI single. What a job by Mr. Gaul coming through and it mattered the most. Lines it off the outside pitch and the speed from Phillippy just gets it past. What a job by Frank Gaul. Now the Mustangs Darius Freeman two runners in scoring position with two outs. They’re not done. The scoreless tie has been broken off the bat of Frank Gaul. It was a great throw by Shadrach Salazar. Just ran out of juice and Eastston Philippy was able to sneak that left hand before Nick Kalin was able to apply the tag. Now, two more ducks on the pond for their best hitter, Darius Freeman. He’s 0 for three tonight. Can he follow up Frank Gaul’s hit with one of his own? Line to center right at Humphre and he’ll make the grab, but the scoreless tie has been broken off the bat of Frank G drives in East Philippe. One run in the inning. Two hits, two runners left headed to the eighth. Mustangs lead one- nothing. making his ninth appearance of the season. It’s Lane Chapman, the lefty out of the bullpen, takes over for Ashton Nance after seven shut out innings. And now the Mustangs with that one-run lead will turn it over to their bullpen as Nance has just given up one run in 14 innings of work. And he has been fantastic. Last time out last Saturday gave one inning against the Renegades. Struck out one and walked one. And now he’ll look to get the eighth here with the lead. Now there’s a reason why they wanted the guy who’s only given up one through 14 innings. It’s cuz that’s the one is the magic number right now. The Mustangs are riding on that and they’re relying on that one run on the board to stay strong and Chapman’s the guy to put in. But Nance, only two hits, five strikeouts, only one walk. I mean, he came out and did his job. Such a fun guy to watch. But now it’s the Mustangs bullpen. It’s something that the Griffins don’t have tonight. And I think this is where the Mustangs might take it if they have an area to. But it’s up to Chapman to limit those walks, to limit those easy passes. It’s time to lock it down here in the eighth. Jam has a save. He’s also struck out 13 and walked eight. Like you said, Jackson, the walks maybe have been the only real issue from this lefty’s arm this season. He gets the eight n and one hitters led off by Xander Miller. Griffins down to their final six outs in their season. The first pitch off the hands, grounded right to Jack Mosh. And it’s one pitch, one out for Lane Chapman. Beautiful. Can’t say it much more than that. I mean, he put it on the right down on the outside half. Miller just put it on, but it was just an easy chopper over to Mosh. A beautiful first out. Now, that magic numbers five outs for the Mustangs to deal with. Just chipping away, chipping away. But it’s nice that Chapman got it done on the first pitch. It was Frank Gaul who came through for St. Joe with a two out RBI single to left. Eastston Philippy able to beat the throw in from Shadrach Salazar and break our tie. Cal Kosins digs in. He’d been 0 for two with a couple of ground outs against Ashton Nance. Chase is a fast ball with a lot of two seam action from Chapman that can be so deadly to right-hand hitters. Opponents are just hitting 176 against Chapman this year. Virtually untouchable, but Kosen’s ropes one, but pulled it too much. He read the breaking ball, but was just too out in front. Now down one ball, two strikes. Here’s a good swing by Cozen. Just like you said, just out in front. Got the hands out too quick. Needs to sit back on those fast balls. But Chapman, he knows how to work the tempo. It’s it’s it’s a difference in what he does every single pitch. And that’s where he’s so lethal. But now in two strike count, Kosen has really got to shorten this approach. One, two, fouled off. Griffin sitting on just no runs on two hits. Also had a guy get hit by a pitch and a walk. But they’ve only one inning back in the fourth did they have more than one base runner. One, two, just low. Kosen’s three for 16 now in his sixth game against the Mustangs. He scored three runs and drawn three walks. Two- two rip to left. In comes McCollum. He’ll dive again. And Trevor McCollum, why don’t you just take a bow? Take the bow. Called the curtains in left field. It is an amazing performance tonight from McCullum. Another sliding catch to keep one off the base paths and two big outs for Lane Chapman and the Mustangs. Magic number four runs. Four outs is now what’s at stake in the Griffin season. The only thing that might be better than this pitching performance from Ashton Jans now continuing with Lane Chapman has been the play of the three outfielders. Trevor McCollum, Braden Lukart, and Frank Gaul. They’ve been blurs out there and rob the Griffins of a lot of hits and save some runs. It’s Trey Burton in the leadoff spot. Back to his spot in the order here with two outs. He quickly finds himself down 0 and two. Griffin fans are hoping for those that made the trip here to Phil Welch and those watching here on YouTube hoping that their team has any life, any rallies left in them. Hoping last night wasn’t a fluke as they’ve given the number one seed in regular season champs a run for their money. shocking the entire Mink League world with how they’ve been playing the last two games. They’ve really turned it up since that big losing streak and I give props to them for that. O2 is just low on the fast ball. Griffins were looking to put a blemish on the Mustangs 24-2 home record. Their only losses a non-con against the Kansas City Monarchs earlier in the season and a game to Carol. One, two, just low again right at the shin. Now two balls and two strikes. Great job by Burton. He’s trying to work himself back, but here on 2-2 I expect Chapman to just go right back to that fast ball in the zone. Chapman into the line. 2-2 jammed popup. Chapman calls it right on the mound. Flips the ball behind his head and Lane Chapman does it out of the bullpen. Absolutely beautiful. Exactly what you wanted from your guy. One, two, three with the one run on the board. Still two hits on the board for the Griffins. They’re still trailing in their own selves and they’re down to three outs. But the Mustangs still have a chance, Truman, to come back and get some more insurance runs on the board. Headed to the bottom of the eighth. One- nothing Stangs One run that feels like 10 is the only thing that separates these two teams as just the one blemish on the line for Kenny Jennings. He ran into trouble in the seventh. It was a one out single by Justin George. Eastston Philippy reached on a walk, got Trevor McCollum to ground into a fieldielder’s choice. But with two outs on 200, Frank Gaul has come through with a two out RBI single. And it’s how we stand here in the bottom of the eighth. And just what a job Frank Gaul has been doing the last couple of appearances he’s seen here at Phil Welch. He’s really came through in times that is needed. Last Saturday had the bomb. I mean, that was a that was a game that didn’t really need a run, but he’s really came through into that department. You know, GS just after that injury, he’s really looking like himself. And right now, the Mustangs still have that one more chance to get an insurance run. Looking to add some insurance. It’s the 345 let off by Braden Lucart. He reached on a walk his last time up and now he rips one right field, but right at Jordan Row yet again hangs up just enough and it’s allowed out here to begin the eighth. Oo, Lukart was feeling himself on that swing. First pitch you saw was in the zone up and up and that like up near that chest level. That’s exactly where Lukart likes it. A roped swing once again into right field. Just didn’t go his way. Once again, I would love to see that maybe trail a little bit more to the right down the line, get extra bases, but unfortunate first out. Dom Felix, he’s reached once. That was a single, his first at bat in the second. Since then, he’s lined the left and popped up to Kosen’s at second. Felix ahead two and0. He’s a guy we felt like should at least have five homers this season. He’s ran into a bunch of baseballs. Has yet to see a ball go over the wall. He’s ahead three and0 here. one of the veterans on this team right now. You got to wonder with Jennings, another three-0 spot that he’s found himself in the last two innings. How much longer do you want to rely on there? And there’s the walk. Now, a one out walk here to Dom Felix. The third walk now issued. He’s walked a guy in each of the last three innings as Nick Kalin will take the long walk to the mound just to give a little talk to Jennings. Tough situation for Jennings. Another four. It’s It’s the four pitch walk that’s rough. You can’t find the zone, but it’s a time that you don’t want to give anything in the zone to the Mustangs hitters. I think they’ve seen everything that Jennings has given them and so they’re ready for just about anything. That’s the tough thing with being a guy who doesn’t know how to go that long and you’re in the eighth. The guys have seen your pitches. They know about what’s coming. So, we saw Lucart time it up. Felix couldn’t get anything, but you don’t want to give anything to this man coming up to the plate. Jack Mosh, the one time he did get something, he made the most of it. Singled in the fourth, but for now, Aaron Hassel sticking with his guy Jennings, squeezing out just every out he can out of the guy from Lion College and originally from Lewisville, Texas. Starts the Mustangs second base off with a strike. Felix two for three in stolen base attempts this season. Not the biggest threat in the world to go as Mosh down 0 and2. Saw Felix give a little bit of a deak probably to Kalin at the catcher spot to get him a little bit rattled. But now 0 and2 Mos is really going to shorten that approach. Don’t want to put it on the ground because we’ve seen these middle infielders come through with making those plays up the gap. gives a long look over to Felix. 02 crushed about 400 ft. But about another 400 ft foul. Watch those car windshields. It’s going out straight to the parking lot. I mean, he was all over it outside with the hands. A great swing. Got all of the barrel just the wrong direction. That thing if it is straighten on I think that could get over that yellow frog graphic sign. Another O2 looped into left field. Second head of the night for Jack Mosh. Little Luis Ariseesque just poking it out. And now the Mustangs have two on with one out. And that’s a great MLB comparison for him. I mean the average is always up for him. He always knows when the great spots to hit are going to be. And right there, one out here in the bottom of the eighth, just trying to advance Felix into scoring position. Smart baseball play from MS on O2 just to get something off the bat. And we’re likely to see the first and maybe the only pitching change here for the Griffins. Chriscoy is due up. He has singled off Jennings, but Jennings has gotten the better of him the last two times. And there are some hugs going on. And I think this is going to do it for Kenny Jennings. What a herculean effort. Seven and a third innings, one run on seven hits allowed by Mr. Jennings, the home faithful, and even Johnny Koy giving him his due diligence. But we’ll take a short break and be back. Mustangs are threatening here in the eighth. It’ll be Gage Carson who takes over after the incredible effort from the starter David Kenny Jennings. He leaves after seven in a third inning, one run on seven hits, three walks, and is responsible right now for both those runners on first and second. Just what a job by him. He doubled his average of what he goes in games and he predominantly a guy who comes in to save the game. The closer really looked like a full blooded starting pitcher tonight. He did his stuff that none of us really expected him to do and he kept his zero on. But Carson’s in a sticky situation. One out. You got Koi. He’s been timing up these pitchers very well in this late half of the season. Is still itching to come through in a game and I think it’s right here. First pitch to Ko’s upstairs. Last time Carson pitched, he pitched July 14th against Clarinda. Gave up three runs in an inning. He did pitch against the Mustangs back on July the 11th. Gave up three runs in an inning in 2/3. He’s also had an outing where he gave up four runs in three and two/3 on nine hits to these Mustangs. Opponents are hitting 425 off him. Pondering the question. of when would the call to the bullpen be for the Griffins and who would it be knowing their limited roster they’ve brought here to Phil Welch Koy lines one and what a snag Trenton Creek goes up the ladder and uses all 5’7 of his frame to rob Chris Koy of a hit. Wow. Just wow. Trenton Creek off the bat knew it. Got the heels off the ground. What a catch. Another time that these defenses for both these squads have came through in big spots. That could save a run with Felix. He has the speed to get around. That could be a run-saving catch now with two outs. Different situation for JGa. And now it’s Justin George with two outs. He did single his last time up. And a single could be a big hit right here. Koy gets robbed by Creek. A huge sigh of relief from Carson out on the mound. Grounds it over to second. Fielded on a knee by by Kosen and he throws over to first. So Gage Carson comes in and does the job. saves the deficit at one to nothing and gets the Griffins out of it. But the Griffins down to their final three outs in their 2025 season as we’re headed to the ninth here at Phil Welch in the 2025 Mink League Semifinals here on YouTube. Jace Johnson making his 20th appearance of the 2025 season comes in looking to tally his fourth save of the year. Johnson two and0 with those three saves in 20 and 23 innings. 34 strikeouts, seven walks. He’s just given up two earned runs and opponents only hitting 127. Come on. This is the guy under one erra. You got the one on the board, but if there is a man to keep anyone off any base path, it’s Chase Johnson. The K took ratio, phenomenal. The innings pitch to to run ratio, phenomenal. This is the guy all mink first team up up and coming I believe was robbed last year. He is proving the league why he needs to be all mink league first team and he has just done such a beautiful job for the Mustangs this season coming in but this is the biggest time he’s had to come out of the bullpen this year. 234 and that’s not how you want to start. Lead off hit by pitch puts the tying run on here in the ninth. Little bit of surrender cobra going on around the crowd. Just what in the world? That’s not like Jace Johnson at all. But they can work it out. It’s only no outs, runner on. Jace Johnson knows how to keep people on base as well. You got to work up that zone and he’s so good about attacking the zone. So I have not lost any bit of confidence in Johnson after giving up that leadoff man is on. And we’ve seen before when here been in town, they will play small ball. Let’s see if Nick Kalin, who’s 0 for three, lays down the bunt. Felix is in at third. Bunt shown. Pitch upstairs. I think that’s a good spot for Kalin to do this. He’s the team’s best hitter, but in this situation, you just want to get the runner moved up an extra 90 ft. It’s going to be hard to do with Jace Johnson, but any bit you can is what you’re you’re out there to do. Johnson has been untouchable this season. Bunt down though. It’s a good one up the first baseline. No play at second and Jace Johnson does throw to George to record the out. But now the tying run moves into scoring position. Beautiful but bunt from Kalin put down. Situational baseball ladies and gentlemen. That’s exactly what he was asked to do. Put it on the opposite side on that first base side. Just enough and that will advance Jordan Row in. A great unselfish play made by Caitlin. Now with one out, the tying run at second base, it’s Bryce Humphrey. He was one for three against Ashton Nance. Takes strike one in the outer half. That one hit was a little duck fart squibber into right field. Back in the fourth. behind on the heater. 0 and2. There you go. Jace Johnson puts another heater just right by him. Humphrey couldn’t get a bat on it. Just went right by him. I expect him try and tie Humphrey up here with an offspe pitch. Get him out front. 02 from Johnson. Swung on and missed. Big second out for Jace Johnson. [Applause] And as big as they come, the off speed works to perfection. Had Humphrey way out in front. Had his front foot down before the ball even got halfway to the plate. Beautiful pitch and a good sequence there by Johnson. One out remains for the Griffins here with a runner in scoring position. Can Salazar be the hero? Two outs. Tying run on second to extend the Griffin season. One out ends it. It’s Shadrach Salazar. He’s 0 for three. Swings at a breaking ball. Strike one. 0 for 14 this season against the Mustangs. But none a bigger time to tally your first hit than right now. A1 line to center. It’s slicing away from Luke and it gets down. Shadra Salazar has done it. The Griffins tie it with two outs in the ninth. I mean just speechless. The most perfect swing from Shadrach Salazar. Cut to the right of Lucart who is locked down in center field in those situations. Just far enough to score Row. Silence here at Phil Welch as the Griffins with the last out of their season on the line have tied it here in the ninth. The Griffins aren’t going away and Chase Johnson blows his first save as now it’ll be Trenton Creek. Stunned crowd here at Phil Welch. Greek fouls it off. He drew a walk his last time up in the seventh. As for Salazar, RBI number 10, hit number 13 this season. And like I said, hit number one against the Mustangs. That one’s way outside ball too. Alltime thriller of a classic here in the Mink League semifinals. Griffins were down to their final out and the leadoff hit by pitch comes around to score. And now Creek gives it a ride, but he got in on his hands. This one Luke Hart will grab to end the ninth, but not before the Nevada Griffins and Shadra Salazar. Game tying RBI single keeps their season alive. We’re headed to the bottom of the ninth. Mustangs will have a chance to walk it off here on YouTube. Bottom of the ninth. Griffins were down to their final out in the top of the ninth. And Shadra Salazar comes through with a game tying RBI single. And now all bets are off as the Mustangs will have a chance to walk it off here in the bottom of the ninth. facing the third arm. Bryce Humphrey takes over for Gage Carson who got the final two outs in the eighth. It’s go time. Now Eastston Philippy line ones to right and it’s down. So just like the Griffins got a leadoff man on in the top half of the ninth. Eastston Philippy with a leadoff single here in the bottom of the ninth. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful from there from Philippi. Got all over it, pulled it. Great swing. Lead off runner on is exactly what you need for the Mustangs. Now no outs. Philippy with some speed. You have a little bit of reliability as you head closer to that top half of the lineup. But don’t sleep on Mr. Nine here in Mcll in McCllum. Trevor McCollum talked about it. He’s come through with clutch hits this season. Game tying in AR go walkoff singles against Clarinda as he squared around the bunt but pulls back. Philippy is a threat to steal. Not going. Pitch taken for a strike right at the belt. McCollum squared around again. Philippy 11 for 12. Stealing bases. Haven’t seen much small ball out of the Mustangs this year. Humphrey in his only outing was three and two3 at Clarinda July 13th. He gave up six runs on seven hits, walked six, and struck out four. McCllum tries again, but it’s popped straight back. Didn’t have the best bunning form, and now two balls and two strikes. Yeah, you’re going to have to go at it with a swing approach. Infield’s going to play a little bit more back. It’s time that McCollum is going to have to square something up. That is something close to the zone. Big hole between first and second. We’ll be shocked if McCollum tries to bunt again. So he’s swinging away and he stays alive. Humphrey originally from Evansville, Indiana. He’s one of the many two-way players on this team for the Griffins. Colmer at the breaking ball and again stays alive fouling it back. That’s all you can do right now in a tough situation. It’s 50/50 every single time. And McCollum’s just trying to keep himself up there to see if he can win one of these 50-50 battles because that’s all you need right now with no outs. Seeing if Humphrey will throw him a mistake. Said he fouls off another. That one might have been outside, but McCollum not taking any chances. Eighth pitch of the at bat now coming to McCollum. Another two- two fouled off yet again. Just a second batter Humphre is facing and McCollum has given him a run for his money. Philippy led off this inning with a single. He’s yet to even attempt to try and steal second. Not going. And taken. Called. Strike three. McCollum battled. But on pitch number nine, it’s Bryce Humphrey who gets him looking. Huge first out for the Griffins after giving up the first pitch single to Philippy. Battled all the way through. Nine great pitches, but it just took the one. And on that 50/50, it was tossed up. It was Humphrey who ended up getting that final look on a beautiful pitch on the line. Now the man who’s driven in the Mustangs only run. Frank G. There goes Philippy. He’ll easily be into second. He almost tripped over his own feet as he was preparing to slide, but then he heard he could stand up. But now the winning run sits in scoring position. Here we go. Top of the lineup. Frank G. Righty lefty matchup. Second base is going to be playing deep depth right now to see if he can try and shallow anything off. But one out. It’s time for the Mustangs to get Philippy home. Almost the same exact situation as in the eighth. Philippy was on second. Gall at the plate. One’s upstairs. two and 0. Gall single to left and it was a good throw from Shadrach Salazar, but the throw was just a hair behind and Philippy was able to sneak his left hand across the plate. 2-1. He’s popped up straight on the mound. In comes to make the grab. Burton from first and it’s a huge out number two. As big as they come for the Griffins with one out and a runner on second. That is a huge huge cyber leap for Humphre on Humphrey on the mound. Two outs now on the board and it’s Mr. MVP’s turn to get a crack and try and win this ball game. Crowd knows who’s coming to the plate. They’re coming to their feet. Darius Freeman 0 for four night but a pair of line outs in his last two at bats against the starter Jennings. He’s lined to left and line to center hoping one of those balls can land in the outfield grass. Philippy jumping around at second base. Freeman did not chase. Driven in 37 runs. Good enough for second in the Mink League in RBI’s, but none bigger one could come right here. 10. Chased it. Pops it back. Kaylin will give it a look, but it’s up into the net. Big break there for Freeman. Just got way under it. Lucky that it didn’t trail and keep up with Kalin. Now one and one. Freeman still got a good spot to get a piece. Pitch was on the inner half. Freeman tried to turn on it. Got jammed a little bit. Philippy led off this inning with a single. He stole second base, but Frank Gaul topped up after Trevor McCollum struck out. Griffin’s tied in the top half of the ninth. Mustangs have a chance to win it here. 1-1 taken low. Two and one. Big take there from Freeman. Now he’s ahead. He’s got a little bit more juice to work with. He can see something because now it’s up to Humphrey to come to Freeman. Braden Lucart sits on deck if it gets that far. Freeman’s looking to end it right here. 2-1 low and it gets through the legs of Kalin and back to the back stop. So now the winning run is just 90 ft away. This is dangerous. Three balls in one strike. This is going to be a tough spot for Freeman as we’re going to get a look. What’s going on here from the umpire, but might see if that ball hit Freeman’s foot. It took a weird trajectory. It was low and in. And I thought it kicked off the leg of Kalin. They might be seeing if maybe it indeed hit Freeman, which if it did, then that would put Freeman at first and send Philippy back to second. crucial spot and a huge call here in the bottom of the ninth of a 1-1 game. And they’re going to say did not hit Freeman. That’s a big call for the Mustangs. That keeps Philippy on third now. A 3-1 count. If Freeman sees anything, and I mean anything, in that zone, he might want to see if it’s right down the middle he’s swinging. But at what point do you just stay composed and watch something go by to see if you can get on first? You do have a couple of bases open. A walk isn’t the worst thing. Brain Lukeart who sits on deck is 0 for three with a walk. 3-1 fouled back. Freeman wanted it. It was a pitch middle away but just couldn’t get on top of it. He wanted it really bad. He was looking back at the ball after he fouled it off. Now 3-2 big pitch. Full count. Winning run on third. The payoff from Humphrey. Lined foul. We’ll do it again. Another battle begins. Let’s see who comes out on top with this one. A birth in the Mink League Championship Series on the line. Another 3-2. Grounded to the right side off the glove. Fielded by Kositz. Will he beat him to the bag? He does. What a play made. Bryce Humphre beats Darius Framan to first base. And we’re headed to extras. Oh my goodness. The groans, everything in studio here at Phil Welch Stadium. Bryce Humphrey, what a job. He knew off the bat where he needed to be. Freeman, one of the fastest in the Mink League. He does it. Beats him out. And this is where it happens. Extra innings in the Mink League semifinal. Stay with us here on YouTube. It’s anyone’s game headed to the 10th. Mustangs and Griffins tied at one. Bonus baseball in the 2025 Mink League semifinals between the number one seated St. Joseph Mustangs and the number six seated Nevada Griffins who’ve given the Mustangs all they can handle. How we got here? It was a pitcher duel between Ashton Nance and Kenny Jennings. Each pitcher faced their battles. Nance survived runners on the corners in the fourth. Jennings scattered singles before finally the Mustangs broke through with a Frank Gall two out RBI single in the seventh and it looked like the Mustangs might escape. Jace Johnson came in in the ninth, but a leadoff hit by pitch. And then with two outs, Shadra Salazar had been 0 for14 against the Mustangs this season. Came through to drive in the go-ahead run. Johnson back out for a second inning of work. 789 let off by Rhett Hayes. Mustangs stranded. The winning run at third. East Philippe let off the bottom of the ninth with a single. And now here we are. Bonus action baseball. Winner goes home. Winner, excuse me, goes to the Mink League Championship Series. Loser goes home. I was I I was putting up what you were picking down, what you were putting down. So I Yeah. Yeah. It’s going to be It’s right now extra innings. What more could you ask for here in the semifinals? One’s fouled back on Hayes. One and two. He has one of the three singles for the Griffins tonight that came back in the fifth off Nance. One, two’s outside. It’s actually pincher Sam Schmidt. Excuse me. Number 28. Pinch hits for Hayes. Two twos foul back. Schmidt stays alive. Comes in hitting 179. This is his 29th game. 15 hits and 84 at bats. Does have 14 RBI’s and four doubles, but looking to just get on base. Two two from Johnson. Fouled off yet again. The Griffin leadoff hitter here in the 10th, giving Johnson all he can handle. And this is exactly what you want for the Griffins. It’s to work up Jace Johnson’s pitch count as this as the closer. He’s not used to going super far. So, if you work him out, we’ll see what the Griffins can induce out of that. But, it’s time for Johnson just to go back to that zone. 22 up the first baseline foul. The longest Johnson has gone is two innings and that was all the way back on June 5th. Struck out all six batters and walked one in two innings against the Jeff City Renegades in a 12-2 win. Schmidt giving himself a battle. Schmidt was 0 for four last night in the win. struck out twice, one for three. Last time these two teams faced off with a run, an RBI, and a walk. Another two- two. Swung on and missed. Big strike out for Jace Johnson. Out number one is the leadoff hitter Schmidt. What a pitch. He was had him out front with the off speed and a big first out getting that leadoff batter retired in Johnson. So now they’re going back to the stuff. Fast ball, fast ball. Maybe off speed here on Miller, but nice first out from Chase Johnson. Will now be Xander Miller. He was 0 for two against the starter Nance and 0 for one against Lane Chapman. 01 is outside. Ball on a strike. The Griffin eight hole hitter outside corner strike two on the fastball. Miller from Tiffen University out of Wesville, Ohio, seeing if he has a classic moment in his bat. Griffins still have upset and revenge written on their minds for all the drubbings that the Mustangs have given them this season. 22 doesn’t chase the slider. Count goes full. That was a good playoff pitch. I like the slider. That’s what you got Schmidt on. Now it’s time to go back to the fast ball. Miller hasn’t been able to catch up to it. Even if you go back to a battle, I would like to see backto-back fast balls maybe here to see if you can catch Miller on that back foot. Full count delivery. Swung on and missed. Got him to chase the slider. And it’s backto back strikeouts by Jace Johnson to start the 10th. And there he is. That’s Jace Johnson in his pure form catching hitters off guard. He ended up going back to the slider. Just a beautiful sequence here by Johnson. And then now two big outs and no runners on for the Griffins. Mustangs looking bright. Now it’ll be Cal Kosins who saved the game for the Griffins in the bottom of the ninth, robbing Darius Freeman of what would have been a walk-off single, able to field a deflective ball off the glove of Trey Burton and fire it to Bryce Humphrey to get the third out. He himself was robbed of a hit. His last time up in the eighth as Trevor McCollum made a great diving grab. One-1 outside two and one. See how long Johnny Quay extends his closer and arguably his best reliever. I mean, you want to save him for the rest of the week. There are plenty of quality arms out in that right center bullpen as that fast ball clips the corner. Strike two. Beautiful pitch now. Another two strike count. We really like to see that slider again. I know I said fast ball last at bat, but that slider has caught these Griffins out in front. Let’s see if Johnson goes back to it. Two two. Just off the plate. He went with the slider. Kosen’s not full. Three and two to the Griffin. Nine hole hitter. The payoff from Johnson. Popped up. Shallow right. In comes G. He makes the grab. Three up, three down for Jace Johnson. And we’re headed to the bottom of the tenth here at Phil Welch. Mustangs. another chance to walk it off to the Mink League Championship Series as you’re watching St. Joseph Mustangs baseball in the Mink League playoffs here on YouTube. 345 for the Mustangs in the bottom of the tenth with their second opportunity to win the game and send themselves to the Mink League Championship Series. Bryce Humphrey stranded the winning run on third in the ninth. Now he’ll look to do the same here in the tenth. Luke Hart had been 0 for three with a walk verse Griffin starter Kenny Jennings. That walk was back in the sixth and he was stranded at second base. Now ahead two and 0. His 20 walks now on the season. and is 17 for 17 stealing bases. Not the guy you want to get on. Just the second extra inning game for the Mustangs this season. Chases one upstairs. Two and two. Their first one and only one was a couple Saturdays ago against the Sidelia Bombers when they made a massive comeback and walked off the Bombers back in late June, June 28th. 3-2 now. It was an 1110 win. Easton Philippy was the hero. Mustangs found themselves down 6 nothing and then in the ninth they found or in the bottom of the eighth, excuse me, they found themselves down 10 to2 and they scored seven in the eighth, one in the ninth and Philippines walk-off triple in the 10th as it’s a leadoff walk to Braden Lukart. The exact start you want. That’s a beautiful start for the Mustangs and getting Lucart on base to start it out. That’s something that the Griffins could not do. And right now with Lucart on with the speed he possesses, this is a danger zone for the Griffins. Like I said, 17 for 17 is Braden Lukeart. And it’s not the guy you want to be walking with these hitters coming up. Dom Felix, he had been one for three with a walk against Jennings. The first pitch strike for the Griffins. This is their first extra inning game of the season. And what a time for it to occur. Humphrey has Felix down 0 and2. Your biggest game of the season. You win, you advance. You lose, you’re packing up and thinking about college for the next semester. And for some, sadly, this could be their last baseball game of their respected careers. There’s a couple on the Mustangs that we know of. And two ends of the tape. You got some who are excited to go back to spring, but some Yeah, this is it. Humphrey has Felix down 0 and two. Winning run on first base. Nobody out here in the bottom of the tenth. Lucart goes, but Felix has to foul it off. Would have been a strike if he had taken it. So, we’ll do it again. 0 and two. That’s a good job by Felix right there. You could have at least you have two options. You let a sacrifice play. Let Lucart advance because he had a great jump. He was most likely going to be safe, but good spot. Luke Hart going again. Felix jams. Shallow center. In comes Salazar. It’s going to fall. A walk and now a single. Puts the winning run at second base with nobody out. What a spot from Felix. Just got something off the bat that was in the zone. Just had to protect himself and it ends up working out in his favor. Advances Lucar into scoring position and the winning run in scoring position. Great at bat from Mr. Dom Felix. Second hit of the night for Felix. And now it’s a guy who already has two hits tonight. Jack Mosh, two for four. And his single in the eighth was what got Kenny Jennings out of the ball game. You’ll talk with Johnny Koy and Jackson. What are you doing in this scenario? Are you just s Are you laying down the sacrifice bunt and just get that winning run to third? Are you letting Mosh swing away here and risk either like striking out infield popup or even a double play ball? If I’m coach Koi right now, Mosh is the type of hitter who knows where to put the ball. I feel like if there’s any guy to put a ball into the outfield through a go through a hole, it’s him. I we’ve said in the broadcast boost, why why waste the best hitter to a bunt whenever it could just be time for Mosh to maybe end the game? You never know. right here. I mean, trying to get both runners pushed over to eliminate the double play, that’d be awesome. But right now, I think MSH I think it’s his turn to be the hero. MSH not squaring, swinging away, grounded off the glove of Humphrey. Kosins goes to second for one. Almost disastrous for the Griffins, but they do get one. But the winning run now stands 90 ft away. That was really close. Kosan’s ball was hit softly enough to just trail enough to allow Mosh to get over, but it brings Luart 90 feet away from sending the Mustangs to the Mink League Championship with one out on the board. And who else to do it? Chris Koy, the nephew of Johnny Koy. Infield in for the Griffins. Big spot for not even the college freshman yet. MSH will take second on the defensive indifference. His run doesn’t matter. I mean, they could have gone for the double play ball. The Griffins are going to sell out to cut down Luke Hart at third. The O1 line foul just outside of third now. 0 and2 on Koi. Big swing from Koi. I liked getting out in front. I like the aggressiveness just a little bit back on that back foot. That does trail the line and that scores. But O2, he’s got to shorten up. Maybe it’s interesting. They’re not just walking Koi now that MSH has taken second. At least it would set up the force out at home. They’re pitching to Koi. It’s right up to Creek. Lukeart not going. Creek throws across and it’s a huge out recorded by Bryce Humphrey. Huge. Huge. Koi just missed it. It was right at Creek. If it was softer off the bat, that allows Lukart to get a jump towards home to make it the play at home, but it was hit at that perfect speed to allow Creek to make the throw in time. So unlucky break again for the Mustangs. But now two outs. This game ain’t over yet with JG to the plate. Now Justin George, a little redemption for him. He grounded out to end the eighth with a runner at second base off Gage Carson. Can he come through with the winning hit? First pitch is swinging, but he fouls it straight back. George does have a hit tonight. Was back in the seventh. He’s also lined out a couple times to center field when Humphrey was out in center. 01 inside. Almost hit George again. A Walker hit by pitch. Not the worst thing in the world. There is a base open. Just all about trying to prevent that run from third from scoring. Breaking ball taken for a strike. It froze George. And now one and two. And Humphrey is one strike away from getting out of it. And a big spot for Humphrey if he can do this. But now George, if anything’s close, he’s swinging and that could work out in his favor. The one two lined center field. Salazar back, but it hangs up just enough. And we’re headed to the 11th. Bryce Humphrey strands the winning run at third for the second consecutive inning. Speechless is the crowd here at Phil Welch headed to the 11th. 1-1 We’re tied 1-1 here in the 11th. Meanwhile, in the other Mink League playoff action, Jeff City leads the Carol Merchants 7 to nothing in the top of the seventh. So, if that score holds, Jeff City will move on to play Clarinda tomorrow night in Clarinda. And then the winner of that game will face the winner of this game. But what a doozy has it been here tonight. The Griffins were down to their final out. And Shadra Salazar came through with a game tying RBI single off the best relief pitcher in the mink, Jace Johnson, who’s back out for his third inning of work. And he gets the top of the order. And it’s Burton’s job to get on base early on if you’re the Griffins to try and eliminate the chances of getting another shutout inning for Mr. Jace Johnson. Burton hasn’t reached base tonight. 0 for four. He was involved in almost a play that was disastrous back in the ninth inning while the Griffins were in the field. ball off his glove, but Cal Kosins was there to back him up and throw to Bryce Humphrey to retire Darius Freeman. He’s down 0 and two. O2 off the end of the bat. Grounded to Mosh. Going to have to be quick with it. Underhand flip and Burton is set down for the fifth time tonight. Good job by Mosh. Notice it was a weak ground ball. Was off the back of his heels quick. Full force towards the ball. Just an easy flip for the first out. Big first out. Retiring the lead off leadoff batter. Keep that same energy going. It’s now Jordan Row. He was the guy, the first guy to face Johnson when Johnson came out of the bullpen in the ninth. and he was hit on Johnson’s first pitch and then came all the way to round to score as his bat ends up in the Griffin’s dugout. Some oo and a’s from the crowd. Some gasps. Might need to add a little pines, but Ro came around to score. He advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Nick Kalin. And then with two outs, Shadrax Salazar drove him in. He’s been hit twice tonight actually. Once by Ashton back in the fourth, then in the ninth by Johnson. Sliders outside for a ball. [Music] Another slider outside. [Music] Rose also struck out and lined out to Frank Gaul out in right field looking for his first hit here tonight. Griffin’s just one run on three hits. Three and one as that pitch is upstairs. Now Johnson’s time to find the zone. Go back to the fast ball. Feel like that slider you’re waiting and see if they can trail on. So go back to the fast ball in the zone. Three1’s fouled back. Full count. Now the Griffin two-hole hitter. Neither team with an extra base hit tonight. It’s just been 12 singles scattered between the two squads. Payoff pitch from Johnson. Popped up. Will it stay in play? George gives it a look towards the dugout. reaches out but can’t make the grab. His teammates had to get out of the way and George almost reeled it in. Almost. What a job by George to get over there. It looked like it popped out but it sense it hit the hand. It is going to be a dead ball but good effort by George. Gives Jordan Row new life. We’ve seen some fantastic defensive plays from both sides here tonight. Another 3-2. Got a piece of the slider. That slider was nasty for Johnson in the 10th. Getting Sam Schmidt and Xander Miller to both chase to strike out. Another fullcount delivery right back to Johnson and he’ll throw over and it’s two ground outs to begin the 11th. Beautiful job right back to him. Johnson just had to go back to the fundamentals with the throw. Easy play. Two outs and they’re big ones on the board for the Stangs. Two outs, nobody on now for Nick Kalin. He laid down a critical sacrifice bunt in the ninth. [Music] He’s 0 for three with a strikeout looking against the starter Ashton Nance. Only 9:19 p.m. Central Standard Time, but we’re already here in the 11th. 6:30 first pitch. This game has been flying by. That one is fouled back one and two. Really has. Fastest game we’ve been at here this season at Phil Welch. But the 11th inning, crunch time down a two strike count for Johnson. One and two. popped up, but foul. We’ll do it again. One, two, just outside. Wanted the call, but it evens it up. Two balls and two strikes here. Two outs in the 11th. That’s a good miss from Johnson. I’d like him to go back to that outside part. It’s where the Griffins have been the most uncomfortable with these swings. Two, two looped. MSH has a beat on it. Makes the grab. It’s a one, two, three inning for Johnson in the 11th. Griffins still with only one run. We’re headed to the bottom of the 11th here at Phil Welch. Mustangs will have another chance to walk it off as it’ll be the bottom of the order. Easton Philippy, Trevor McCollum, and Frank G to get the Mustangs going. bottom of the 11th. Neither side willing to give in as we are deadlocked at one run apiece. Bryce Humphrey has gotten out of some massive jams the last two innings, but now has to do it yet again with Eastston Philippy leading off. Here we go. East Philippy get that leadoff spot. Big hole up the middle. Look to see him drive one right back up there. Philippy has had his Mustangs moment this season. A walk-off RBI triple in the Mustangs only extra inning game. And it was a game he didn’t even start. He came in to pinch run, ended up knocking home the game-winning triple. He’s now ahead two balls and no strikes. He scored the only run for the Mustangs on a walk back in the seventh. Two jammed, popped to left, over is Schmidt makes the grab. That’s a big out for Humphrey on the mound getting Philippy off. You got McCollum at the nine hole. So looking to work through him, but for the Mustangs, can’t let that one affect it too much. Just trying to get that extra base runner on after that. And you’ve got to give credit to Bryce Humphrey now in his third inning of work. He has not been afraid to go after these Mustang hitters. He has challenged them. And so far St. Joe, they have not been up to the challenge. Trevor McCollum singled his first at bat all the way back in the third inning. Since then, it’s been a couple strikeouts and he’s also reached on a fieldielder’s choice. 20 is just low on the fast ball now. Three and 0. McCullum has drawn 19 walks this season. He’s also stolen 12 bases. Three 0’s in the zone for strike one. As Jackson for the Mustangs, it’s also a question of, you know, these are your nine guys you’re rolling out there, but you have a big bench. I mean, do do you think about maybe pinch hitting in a spot, pinch running just to get some fresh faces out there? That one lined to right but hangs up enough for Jordan Row. Yet another ball hit right on the nose but does not fall for the Stangs. You said it best. Just an unlucky break. But to go back to what you were saying, the pinch hit situation. I mean, I think it would be a good spot, especially if you do have a right-handed batter. I feel like the right-handed batters haven’t been able to see them out of the out of the box. Maybe put another lefty in there to get that righty lefty match up just to give yourself another advantage because in extra innings, Truman, we both know you want to have every single advantage that you can get. Here is Frank Gaul. He’s hit one homer this season. Was in the last game he played in, which was the last regular season game last Saturday. He’s got one hit tonight and it was the big one. RBI single in the seventh with two outs. And going back to the point of, you know, pinch hitting or pinch running, you obviously don’t want to look like if you’re Johnny Cory that you’re giving up on a guy, but it might just be nice to get a fresh fresh guy out there. I mean, I know a lot of the guys on the bench haven’t swung a bat tonight, right? So, they may be even colder, but at some point, I feel like you maybe just mix it up just to see what happens, right? That’s what those games I feel like on Saturday and Sunday were for, just to get those freshnesses. I think that’s what you got to bring in to this game. It’s one, two, inside and it hits Frank Gaul right on the shoulder and it’s a two out base runner for the Stangs. Big big spot there from Gaul. Just took it right there. But Humphrey, that’s an unlucky break. One, two on the leadoff man. I mean top my apologies. Top of the order man in Gaul. That’s a tough break. Now you got Freeman coming to the plate and another left-handed batter. G might be running here to get an extra runner on. Darius Freeman. His line reads 0 for five, but if he could come through, that would be all for not. This is the guy you want up if you’re a Mustangs Nation fan. He’s come up twice in huge spots. He came up in the seventh with two outs and two runners in scoring position. He lined to center. He came up in the ninth, winning run on third, and grounded out on an incredible play made by Cal Kosins and Bryce Humphrey. Frank Gall is three for four stealing bases. Eastston Philippie is the only guy with a stolen base tonight for the Mustangs as that one line into right field and it’ll fall. Philippy holds up. Good throw in from Row. But now backto back base runners here with two outs. And here you go. Beautiful swing from Freeman. He got the one back that he wanted after getting caught at first by Humphrey. He got it back. Now two outs, winning run back on second base. It’s time to come through. If you’re Braden Lucart for the third consecutive inning, the Mustangs have the winning run in scoring position. This time it’ll be Braden Lukart. He walked back in the tenth in his only appearance against Humphre here tonight. 0 for three with a couple of walks. Breaking ball low. Ball one. Doll with plenty of speed. He scored nine runs. Creek keeping a good eye on him, keeping him honest. 10 is low again. Two and0. Here you go for Lucart. You’re up ahead. First two pitches, you’ve seen them on the inside half. Time to maybe widen that pitch. Expect something more on the middle. Up and up. Exactly where you want it. You got a big gap between right and center field. It’s exactly where you want to put that ball. Humphrey has been missing a lot down and into these lefties. Jammed. grounded to Kosins. Fields it throws. We’re headed to the 12th. Bryce Humphrey. Balls of steel. Three consecutive innings with a winning run in scoring position in three consecutive innings. He’s gotten out of it. We’re not done yet here in the Mink League Championship semifinals. We’ll be back after this short break. Jace Johnson’s done after three innings. Johnny Koy turns to Max Pit. Right-handed Pitts brother making his 11th appearance of the summer and a non bigger than this one here. Headed into the 12th inning, tied one to one. He has one save 0 and0 in 15 innings. 42 RA. He pitched last Saturday against Jeff City. threw a shut outing but did walk two and strike out one and Jackson I mean I definitely you’ll reiterate this but it’s been the walks that have been pits his kryptonite. Yeah, you know it has and I said that before on the booth we just got to limit those walks. Uh I mean they only have three hits tonight. None bigger than the Salazar hit but other than that they really haven’t put themselves in big positions. If they can if they can limit the walks I mean they’ve been looking really good out on the mound as far as Mustangs pitching. First pitch grounded up the middle by Bryce Humphrey. Koi has the field quickly. Strong throw gets Humphrey for the first out here in the 12th. Huge play by Koy up the middle. Stuck to it. Shuffled the feet perfectly. Allowed him to make a perfect throw. That was on a beam line. Humphrey had the speed down. If it was just a couple of inches off, Humphrey might have been able to take that on an infield hit. But Koy, as good as he is, saves another hit in the infield. And now coming to the plate, the man is the who the reason that we’re here in the 12th. Shadrach Salazar against the best relief pitcher in the mink. Arguably one of the best pitchers in the mink, Jace Johnson down to their final out. Lined a ball into right center field for a game tying RBI single. His first hit of the season against the Mustangs. tied this game and sent us in to extras. None bigger than it was off the bat. It just trailed past Lucart in center field. Haven’t seen a hit like that all night from either squad. Salazar definitely shocked us up here in the booth. Shocked everyone here in the stadium and came through the biggest point in the Griffin season. Had plenty of slice to tail away from Lucart. There’s a nice curve ball from Pitts ball and two strikes. Salazar also makes made a game-saving grab out in center in the tenth, robbing Justin George of a walk-off hit. This Griffin defense made two errors last night and made seven errors in two games. The last time they were here in Phil Welch, zero in the airs department. They have been very good tonight defensively. They really have. They’ve shocked us all coming here at the six seed in the playoffs, but they’re not playing like it. This one’s popped up. Gall in makes the grab. Out number two. Pitts retires. Salazar. It’s a good defensive pitch from Pitts. Salazar with a big clap coming into the dugout. He know he missed it. He was just a little bit behind on it and just a little bit inside on the bat and that’s why he popped it straight to go. But two big outs for pits out of the pen. And now a nice righty righty match up to end it. Trenton Creek hidden in the air three times. He’s also walked. First pitch is taken low. Griffin’s just one run on three hits. Mustangs one run on 10 hits and 14 men left on base. They’ve had opportunities. We just have yet to see that big hit looped. Mosh snags. Inning over. Max Pits out of the bullpen. One, two, three go. The Griffins. And now he’ll walk back to the dugout. And these fans will once again hope that their Mustangs can walk it off in the bottom of the 12th. It’ll be Felix, Mosh, and Ky to get it done for St. Joe as you’re watching the Mink League playoff semifinal round here on too. Four, five, six. Dom Felix, Jack Mosh, and Chris Koy face Bryce Humphrey, who comes out for his fourth inning of work. And the Griffins, who came into tonight’s game with the worst pitching staff in the Mink in back-to-back games with their seasons on the line, have now only given up three only given up two runs, excuse me, and now 20 innings of baseball. Just complete shock that everyone has seen here with the Griffins. They’ve came in, they’ve done their job. What more can you ask from them, and they’re still holding on against these number one ranked Stanks? Felix has a couple of singles tonight. He singled in the 10th. He’s also walked in the eighth. 01 pitch runs inside. One and one. That single in the 10th. He was then cut down at second as Jack Mosh grounded into a fielder’s choice. Bryce Humphrey has faced three jams and has had the winning run at either third base or second base in all three innings. In all three innings, he has come through big time and gotten the final outs. Fast ball load three and one now. Now this is a question. If Felix walks, he’s not a threat to steel. This is this where you go to a pinch runner? I would say so why not? But might not need it. Popped behind foul territory. There’s plenty of it here, but it lands up in the netting. Felix stays alive as the count goes full. Back to what she said. I mean, I definitely think right now Felix, he’s been seeing the ball really well. Had a single back in the 10th. But right here, I mean, you got to get a guy who can get us something done. And I think getting some speed on the base pads might be it. Especially if you can get him on second, put something in the outfield. You might want to rely on someone other than Felix to round that third base to get home. You don’t want to take this bat out of the lineup, but you have guys like Logan Miller and Truman Bowdenous who have 11 and 12 stolen bases sitting on the bench. 3-2 popped up. Burton gives it a look into the dugout. Can’t make the grab. Both first basemen have now had chances to reach into the Mustangs dugout to make grabs and neither have been successful. That would have been a big out for Humphrey on a full count on Felix, but another great effort into that home dugout. Now another full count to Felix. Seventh pitch of the atbat. Fouled back and another battle brewing. Humphrey verse Felix. Who will break? Who will even slightly bend in a game like this? I feel like it’s not even about breaking. I think it’s just whoever maybe can make a little bit of a dent. And yet again, third straight three and two pitch. Felix fouls back. Pitch number nine coming up between these two foes. Another reason why this game’s so close has been these full count battles. Who will win this battle? Felix lines one left field, but it hangs up yet again for Schmidt. That one seemed destined for the wall and then just fell off a cliff. And it’s another loud out here for the Mustangs. Dom Felix, I mean, he’s that same swing. I feel like we saw that another time tonight. And it just is another unlucky break for him. But another great swing by Mr. Felix. I’m happy with that at bat. He battled his way through a full count. End up Humphrey just getting the defensive pitch and an unlucky break for Felix. Second time Felix is lined out. Now brings up Jack Mosh. Mos recorded the final out in the top half of the 12. He’s two for five. Both those hits just singles. Brings his total hit total to 40. now on the year and he joins Darius Freeman as the only two guys on this Mustangs roster with 40 or more hits. First year with the Stangs. Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, played at Missou, now plays at Minnesota. He’s down 0 and two. And he didn’t like that one. Thought that one was inside, but it caught the corner. Close situations like that, late games, if anything’s close, he might as well try and put a bat on it because that zone’s going to open up as late as we go. 02. No chance. One and two. Mh. No homers this season. Did have one in just his nine at bats with Minnesota. only had two hits in those nine at bats and both were extra bases, a double and a homer. Does have three triples and eight doubles for the Stangs. Grounded up the middle. Kosen’s to his right. Backhand off his back foot. What a throw and he gets Mosh at first. Close, close play. MSH doesn’t like it one bit. It was close. Kosen, I knew how he fielded it. It was going to be a tough throw. I’m going to give it to Kos. That’s a great play made, but I think Mosh could have been I think Mosh was safe there by a step, but Kens, what a play. It was a bang bang situation. Bang bang play. Cal Kosins off his back foot and what a stretch from Trey Burton at first. It’s now two outs here in the home 12th. It’s for Chris Koy. Koi grounded out back in the tenth against Humphrey with the winning run at third base and one out. He got jammed. The infield was in. It was an easy play for Trenton Creek. Ky’s taking his talents to the Northwest and Nebraska Omaha. gets to play his home games at legendary Charles Schwab Field, home of the College World Series. University of Nebraska Omaha and Kraton both share that field. And for those wondering, no, they do not play home games at the same time. It’s like the Chargers and Rams, you know, they or the Jets and Giants, Giants rotate home when one team’s at home, the other, you know, is on the road or not playing. gets him to chase as ahead of him. One ball, two strikes coming into the night. Mustangs were looking to advance to a mink league championship series on their quest for their 10th Meek League title. Griffins just had upset on their mind. So far, one team has looked the part, the other not really. Griffins have come out here and looked like an entirely different team here tonight pitching wise. Offense still hasn’t come, but because of their pitching, they have caused the Mustangs offense to go silent. So, it’ll be a hit by pitch from Chris Koy on 22. Humphrey loses it. So, it’s a two out base runner for the Mustangs. And that’s all you need. Two outs. See if they can get something into the outfield. allow Koi to maybe stretch it to third. Put yourself 90 ft away with two outs. It’s up to Justin George now to do that. He’s the guy I think if he gets something on the bat, he’s the guy to put something out. George’s line tonight reads one for five, but he has had three balls absolutely smoked off the bat. All to center and all have been caught. I mean, if any of those are just in the gap, those are all doubles, maybe even triples. Winning run is at first base in Chris Koy. Koy is 14 for 15 this season, swiping bags. And that’s another thing we have not seen the Mustangs attempt many stolen bases tonight. They’ve been kind of just content to try and hit away their problems. I want to agree with that as well. I I would have said from the jump in this game that the Mustangs probably should be a little bit more aggressive on the base pads. Now, I get it. It’s the playoffs. You don’t want to risk anything. If you have someone on base, if you have risk getting caught, but you got speed, I’d say why not? Especially in this type of ball game, you’ve been tied forever so long. Why not try and steal here? Put another runner in scoring position. I feel like that’s where the Mustangs have something over the edge over every other mink league opponent. They know how to get it done on the base pads. One-1 to George. Koi does go. Throw down from Kalin on the money and Chris Koy is out. That’s how the 12th inning comes to a close. Chris Koy is caught stealing and we’re headed to the 13th. More baseball here from Phil Welch right after this break. Gage Busby takes over for Max Pitts here in the 13th inning. Busby making appearance number 13 of the summer. Northwest Missouri State committee and he comes in two and two 18 innings at 239 opponent batting average. But it’s those 15 walks and like Pitts when he’s been hurt it’s been the walks Jackson it has. Busby can really lose himself with those balls but it’s really going to have to be him to find that zone and you know he’s really going to have to find it early on in these batters. you limit those walks and they’ve done a good job with that. They’ve really gotten in and out of these innings, but I feel like it’s got to translate to those bats and I feel like if Busby can go one, two, three here, it could potentially get a good setup, but just got to limit those walks. You’re right. Busby last appearance was against these Nevada Griffins. It was back Tuesday, July 16th. He pitched a scoreless inning, did give up two hits, but got the save. He’s had three straight scoreless appearances for that two-thirds of an inning at Jeff City. Gave up one hit, one walk, did strike out one, and then he threw a shutout inning against the Kansas City Monarchs in July 10th. He starts Sam Schmidt off with a strike. Schmidt came on in replace of Rhett Hayes after Bryce Humphrey went to the mound and he struck out his only at bat in the 10th. Now Schmidt quickly is behind. 0 and2 to Busby. I love it. I love this. Two straight fast balls in the zone. Getting after Schmidt on that back foot. Why not get him down 02? Getting that first out could be huge. Keeping those B runners off the base paths as well. So I love this confidence from Busby to start it. The only inning that the Mustangs have not gotten the leadoff man out was the inning the Griffins scored in the ninth. A leadoff hit by pitch was the run. All other 12 innings so or all other 11 innings, excuse me, up to this point, the Mustangs pitching has gotten the lead off out. Wow, that’s a stat. Another 02 chases the slider. Big punch out for Busby. There is the leadoff out and a big one gets Schmid out. You’re looking at that middle half. You’re head to the bottom half of the lineup now. Oh, and now with one out, Busby great confidence 02 in the one-two and then the slider got him. What a what a sequence. Brings up the third baseman, Xander Miller. Just his fifth at bat coming here in the 13th inning. 0 for four in his previous four with a couple of Ks. He is one of the four guys on this roster with a home run. And for some reason, we have seen opponents hit more long balls here at Phil Welch than the Home Faithful. Very weird, but it is true. Slider out and chased. One and two. Slider has been on point for Busby coming out of the pen. The break on it is incredible. It breaks so much far out that it starts in the zone and ends up on the complete other side of the continent. One, two, fast ball blown by him. Get out of the way. The Busby locomotive. Two strikeouts to begin his outing. Come on, Gage Busby coming in a big spot here in the top of the 13th. Keeping that at one run. You get two gone with strikeouts, not even having to rely on the defense. That’s a huge, huge look out of the bullpen from Busby. He’s continued to show Ry in this late half of the season that he’s starting to come through for these Mustangs. Now Nineh holding Cal Kosins who hasn’t been able to get it done with a bat but has made some incredible game saving plays in the field. He pitches pops it up on the first pitch. Philippy towards the net and it just trails away from him and it’s an unfortunate just a foul ball strike. There’s another one. Was good good effort by the inside half of the infield going towards that home half dugout foul territory side. Tough play to make. Tough one to look up in the air and try and draw near to but a good first pitch strike for Buzzby nonetheless. Kosins was 0 for two against the starter Nance, 0 for one against Lane Chapman, and 0 for one against Jace Johnson. Slider catches the corner. 0 and two. Why not go back to the slider? See if you can start it a little bit more in the zone and have it break more out. Would love to see Kosen’s up on the front foot. O2 fast ball at the knees, but a little below the knees for a ball. Kind of that same pitch sequence that Busby got Miller. Slider away. Fast ball right by him. Here’s the slider. Called. Strike three. And it’s a one, two, three, 13th inning for Gage Busby. Three punch outs in the inning and he throws up yet another zero. But the big allimportant question, what do the Mustangs have? Can they finally break through and win it? We’re headed to the bottom of the 13th here at Phil Welch. One to one. Still tied. Bottom of the 13th. Number one seated St. Joseph Mustangs in the number six seated Nevada Griffins in the Mink League playoff semifinal round. Winner moves on to the Mink League Championship Series. Loser has to watch from their couch. The Mustangs have won an unprecedented nine Mink League titles are on the quest for 10. Nevada sitting at zero Mink League titles and it’s Justin George to get the Stang started here in the bottom half of the 13th. He was at bat when Chris Koy was caught stealing to end the 12th and he’s still facing Bryce Humphrey. It’s time to see what these Mustangs are made of. George one for five like we said last inning when he was up. Three loud outs have all gone for line outs to center. Unlucky night at the plate for George is upstairs two and one. George is another guy if he gets on might think about pinch running if you’re Johnny Koy but again it takes an allimp important bat out of the lineup fouls that one off him two and two it does take the allimportant you know batter out of the lineup but again I feel like it’s just the base paths hasn’t been there and I feel like that’s what your difference is in this game is trying to get runners and stacking them and I think trying to get someone who’s confident in stealing bases is one thing as well. I want to see maybe Logan Miller. You mentioned that last half at last time up. I would like to see him maybe two to George upstairs full count. Meanwhile, update from Jeff City and Carol. Jeff City has run ruled Carol 10 nothing. So, the Renegades move on. They will play Clarinda tomorrow night in Clarinda. And the winner faces the winner of this matchup in the Mink League Championship Series. And it’s a leadoff walk for Justin George. Beautiful. Beautiful. Worked himself back up to the walk. And it looks like there is going to be a pinch runner coming in for Justin George. And it does look like it is Logan Miller as out of the Griffin dugout comes Aaron Hassel. Is this the last we see of Bryce Humphrey? He’s given the Griffins everything. But the question is how many pitchers they have left. This also might be a strategy talk. But Justin George works the lead off walk. Logan Miller now on to pinch run. What a man to do it. I think Miller right here, you’re putting him on for one reason and one reason only, and that’s to try and steal second base. Get a zero out, runner in scoring position threat. It’s exactly what you want out of Miller. No outs, runner on second and potentially working him over to third base with one out or no outs. You never know what could be drawn up, but I think having Miller on here is a great decision from Johnny Koy. Meeting over from Hassel. Humphrey squatted behind the mound. Miller is 11 for 12 this season, but again, he’s coming back. Still a couple weeks removed from a hamstring injury that hindered him for a week. and he injured her or reagravated that hamstring injury on a play where he was trying to over use himself beating out a ground ball. Funny enough, happened in that Sadelia game. The only extra inning game that the Mustangs have played in big spot. Here’s the man who did it. I think it’s another spot. Another runner on first. Exactly what you said. It’s the exact same scenario. Philippy squares. Miller goes. Throw down from Kalin. Not in time. The fake bunt steel works to perfection. Beautiful. Exactly what he was asked to do out of the dugout was just go go go whenever you can. Great fake bunt from Philippia. Draw everyone off. It even allowed Kaitlin to have a little bit less of a reaction time. So beautiful. Now no outs with the winning run in scoring position. Can’t say I know my way around around the fake bunt and that was definitely executed to perfection. Miller now standing at second base with nobody out. change up in for a strike. Mustangs have had the winning run on in every inning since the ninth. It’s even gotten to third a couple times, but they have not driven him home. One almost takes the feet out of Philippi. Two and one. Love a strikeout here if you’re Humphrey. strikeout or an infield popup or even a shallow fly ball. Just nothing that advances Miller to third. Can’t afford that. 2-1 on a hop to Coen. He feels it again. Runner does advance to third, but an out is made. And now Logan Miller stands 90 ft away. Great job putting on the opposite side of the field by Philippy. That brings Miller 90 feet away from walking off this ball game in 90 feet away that the Mustangs can smell another Mink League Championship appearance. And it’s up to Trevor McCollum, the nine-hole man, to do the job. It’s another mound visit coming out for the Griff. And this will mean a pitching change. So, McCollum do up and they’re just going to walk McCollum it seems like. But a pitching change is coming. We’ll step aside for a short break and be back with you. Mustangs winning run 90 ft away in the bottom of the 13th. Trey Burton comes on for the most important relief appearance of his life. Trevor McCollum was intentionally walked. So runners will be at first and third with one out. Double play is in order. Burton making his eighth appearance. Last time he pitched July 11th against the Mustangs. Just pitched a third of an inning. Gave up two runs on two walks, a hit and a strikeout. But now he’s tasked with getting the two most important outs in the Griffin season. And it’s Frank G to do it. Leadoff man of this tonight’s game. And he’s been hitting the ball so well. So if there’s a man I trust, it’s him. He was hit by a pitch his last time up. Infield in. McCollum moves up to second on the defensive indifference. His run doesn’t matter. Coach Aaron Hassel wanted the lefty lefty. Actually got a string of three lefty lefties in a row. Gaul, Freeman, and Lukeart. And Gaul pops it up, but it gets out of play. That was a big swing. He was definitely wanting to take that into the outfield. I could tell by the way he was sitting back on that back foot and he just missed it. I think Gald down 02 if anything comes in the way he hits the ball I mean if he hits it hard it’s getting past this infield 0 and2 now the Mustangs leadoff man outside missed badly. Gaul has the only runcoring hit for the Mustangs. A RBI single all the way back in the seventh inning. Infield in for Nveda. It’s fouled back. Stays one ball, two strikes. Now on a two- strike count, Doll’s going to go back, re up on that pine tar, get a better grip because I know what he’s doing. He sees something. He is ripping that thing. Wants to get all that grip in the world here on two strikes. G’s been giving his time. He digs back in. Burton’s still very much in the driver’s seat. One ball, two strikes. Winning run at third. fouled back again. Three straight pitches. Frank Gaul has fouled back to stay alive in this at bat. That one was a just let me stay up here one more pitch type of swing. Was up and away, but Gaul is just right now thinking I just want to be the guy to end it here. And that was just the swing to put him up for one more pitch. We’ll do it again. Burton and G. And again. Gaul fouls it off. Seems like G is just swinging and everything. He doesn’t really care as long as it’s not in the dirt. He’s just hoping that something can go right. Way swinging that back shoulder. If you notice, it’s back. He wants to pop it out to the outfield. He’s lowering that thing and he’s ready to load up and go. Infield is in and the outfield, I would say, is about halfway. Breaking ball called. Strike three. Burton hadn’t thrown it and what a time gets Frank Gaul looking for out number two. Sneaked it. Burton’s a sneaky sneaky man getting the off speed on G. Threw him all fast balls at the perfect time. It found that zone. Beautiful pitch by Burton. Now two outs in the biggest at bat of the season. Not out of the water yet. Darius Freeman. He singled his last time up. He’s had two at bats with the insurance or winning run on and has yet to come through. [Music] Huge spot. Logan Miller on third. McCollum on second. Freeman chops it. Going to be a tough play. Burton Field spins, throws, and in time to No, he’s saved. Unbelievable. He’s called safe. Nevada can’t believe it. And the Mustangs win. [Applause] Oh my goodness. The Griffiths can’t believe it. What a job. Freeman just put it in play and it works out once again for the Mustangs in the 13th inning. The Mustangs advance in a crazy dramatic way. The Griffins are stunned, speechless. Burton thought he had him. Freeman beats it out. And saddle up Mustangs nation. Your Mustangs get it done in the 13th inning and are headed to the Mink League Championship Series with a chance to claim championship number 10. Wow. Just wow. The Mustangs do it. They got the job done. Didn’t matter how ugly it looked. Truman. The boys always come through and they find themselves back in the Mink League Championship Series. In hindsight, looking for Mink League Championship number 10 and trying to do it in back-to back summers. This team, something is special. They stuck around. They kept pitching. They kept hitting. Even if it didn’t go their way, they still stayed in it. At some point, the boys could have said, “This is this is it.” But they never said that. They never dropped it. They never lost a beat and it ended up getting him the way they wanted it to do it. Two runs, 11 hits. What a ball game. Unreal. They Mustangs, they didn’t have it on offense. Just two runs, 11 hits, and about 20 men left on base. But Darius Freeman, the guy everyone loves, the fan favorite, comes through in the biggest of situations, keeps the season alive. But Ashton Nance, I mean this pitching staff for the Mustangs. Nance, seven shut out innings. Lane Chapman a shut down inning. Jace Johnson did give up in the run tonight, but three innings out of the bullpen. And then Max Pitts engage Busby. Guys who had been up and down, but were absolutely phenomenal in their one innings tonight. Get it done pitching wise. And that’ll do it. Folks are headed for the gates and the Mustangs, they will travel to the winner of Jeff City or Clarinda tomorrow night and we will be live game one of the Mink League Championship Series. We will either be live from Clarinda, Iowa, or we will be live from our wonderful state capital, Jefferson City, Missouri. But that’ll do it here tonight from Phil Welch. Mustangs 2, Griffins one. Mustangs are headed to the Mink League Championship Series. Griffins are headed home in a wild 13 inning thriller for my partner Jackson Phelps. I have been Truman Greel. We thank all you viewers for sticking with us through this game. And if you enjoyed this, plenty of other content on YouTube where this stream will be archived. YouTube.com or the YouTube app. St. Joseph Mustangs YouTube. Click under videos, reading with rally, miked up players, Andrew Clark player vlog, Kai Turner player vlog, filling time with Phil Welch, game highlights, and then if you click under live or go to playlist and Mustangs 2025, you can rewatch entire games from this season. We say so long from Phil Welch.

It’s playoff time at Phil Welch as it’s win or go home tonight as your #1 seeded St. Joseph Mustangs host the #6 seeded Nevada Griffons fresh off a 4-1 upset win over the Chillicothe Mudcats last night. Grab your popcorn and settle into your most comfy chair as Truman and Jackson have your call as the Mustangs quest for a 10th MINK League title begins tonight.

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