June 8, 2021
JOPLIN, MO—The first road game in MINK League play for the Joplin Outlaws started with no-hit bid by Nevada's Dustin Niles, then saw the Outlaws rally for the lead, only to watch the lead, and the game, slip away in the later innings as they fell 4-3 in Nevada on Tuesday night.
Niles carved up the Joplin (3-2) lineup allowing just a walk and an error while holding them hitless over the first five innings of play.
Meanwhile, the Griffons' (3-3) offense scored twice off Outlaws starter Lukas White, plating a run in the second on an RBI single from Chase St. Amand, then adding another in the third off a double from Jesse Fonteboa.
White departed after three innings, giving way to Clay Saporito, who kept pace with Niles through the middle innings, keeping the score at 3-0.
Finally, Joplin broke through in the sixth. Jeb Jenkins led off with a four-pitch walk, then Ethan Lopez broke up the no-hitter with a bunt single. Logan Cline then ripped a two-run triple over the head of Fonteboa in center field to tie the game at two. Ethan Ellis drove him in on a groundout, and all of a sudden, the Outlaws led 3-2.
Saporito held the line through the bottom of the sixth and induced a leadoff flyout in the seventh to begin his fourth inning of relief. However, he issued two walks, sandwiched around a sacrifice bunt, which put two on with two out.
Chase Beiter, who had struck out in his first three plate appearances, stepped up and ripped an RBI double to left-center which scored Tyler Davis, tying the game.
John Kea then entered the game and stranded two men in scoring position to preserve the tie, then threw a scoreless eighth. Joplin threatened in the ninth as two batters were plunked, but Cade Lott was caught in a rundown between third and home after a wild pitch and was tagged out to send the game into the bottom of the ninth.
In the bottom of the frame, back-to-back errors kicked off the inning, the third and fourth miscues of the game for Joplin. Cameron Saso then laid down a perfect bunt down the third base line for a hit that loaded the bases with nobody out, bringing up Beiter.
Kea then fell behind Beiter 3-1. With nowhere to put him and with no choice but having to throw a strike, Kea threw a fastball that Beiter lined through a drawn-in infield into left field, scoring Davis to end the game and moving Nevada to the .500 mark.
Offensively, the Outlaws managed just three hits on the night, all of which came in the sixth inning.
On the mound, White went 3.0 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. Saporito tossed 3.2 innings, allowing a run on one hit with three walks and two strikeouts. Kea (0-1) took the loss, going 1.1 innings and allowing two hits and an unearned run with two strikeouts.
The Outlaws have Wednesday off before returning home for the front leg of a home-and-home with the Sedalia Bombers at Joe Becker Stadium on Thursday night. First pitch is at 7:00 p.m. and will be available on UclickTV on pay-per-view, as well as all Joplin Outlaws and MINK League season passes.
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