July 20, 2021
By Brennan Mense
SEDALIA, MO—The Sedalia Bombers scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a 3-3 tie and clinched at least a tie for the North Division title with an 8-3 victory over the Joplin Outlaws on Tuesday night at Liberty Park Stadium in Sedalia.
Sedalia (19-15) moved to four games up on the Outlaws with only three games remaining in their season, while Joplin (18-19) can do no better than tie Sedalia with five games remaining in their slate.
Pulling out all the stops, the Outlaws sent ace Christian DeJesus to the mound, but a stroke of misfortune caused him and the Outlaws to fall behind in the first inning. Kellen Williamson led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, and stole third. With two outs, DeJesus struck out Braden McGinnis, but the third strike eluded Dawson Walters, allowing Williamson to score the first run.
DeJesus suffered more bad luck in the fourth, again with a runner on third with two outs. Williamson rolled a routine ground ball to second, but Jeb Jenkins booted it, extending the inning and allowing another run to score.
Down 2-0, the Outlaws finally got to Sedalia starter Antonio Escano in the fifth, all without a hit. Ethan Lopez was hit on the first pitch of the inning and Caleb Feuerstake walked with one out. After the pair pulled off a double steal, a passed ball scored Lopez for the first run of the game. Logan Cline followed with a groundout to plate Feuerstake, tying the game.
DeJesus finished the fifth inning, as well as his evening, by striking out three of the four batters in the inning, then watched as his offense gave him the lead.
Jenkins led off with a walk and was bunted over to second. Lopez beat out an infield single to third, which set the stage for Brett Wiemers, who extended his hitting streak to nine games with a single to right, scoring Jenkins to give the Outlaws a 3-2 advantage.
Joplin had an opportunity to extend the lead further, as Escano was lifted immediately afterwards for Bennett Brownfield. Feuerstake greeted him by drawing a walk, loading the bases for Cline. However, Brownfield struck him out on three pitches to end the inning.
In the seventh, the Outlaws again squandered a golden opportunity as two leadoff singles were wasted, resulting in two more of the 12 stranded runners for Joplin in the game.
Immediately afterwards, the Bombers rallied against Austin Gottula. With one out, Nivens laced a double into the right field corner. A few pitches later, Gottula spiked a fastball that short-hopped off Wlaters' glove and caromed all the way to the first base dugout. Nivens never stopped running and scored from second on the wild pitch, tying the game.
Nivens and the Bombers were just warming up for the eighth inning. The inning began with a leadoff walk, then Gideon Antle laid down a perfect bunt single. Brandon Stahlman laid down another bunt, but Gottula threw the ball away, scoring a run. Jared Toler retrieved the errant toss and fired home, but that throw skipped away, allowing Antle to come home all the way from first.
Now trailing 5-3, Gottula retired the next two batters, but his command deserted him, as seven straight balls put Williamson on first and gave Nivens a 3-0 count. Given the green light, Nivens unloaded on a fastball that he deposited well over the wall in right field, capping off a five-run frame.
Daniel Juarez worked around a leadoff error in the ninth to secure the 8-3 win for the Bombers, their fifth in a row.
DeJesus went 5.0 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits, three walks, and eight stikeouts. Gottula (2-1) went 3.0 innings, allowing a season-high six runs (three earned) on four hits, two walks, and two strikeouts.
The Outlaws will be back in Sedalia for a doubleheader tonight, with first pitch of Game 1 scheduled for 5:00 p.m. and Game 2 coming approximately 30 minutes following the first game's conclusion. Both games will be available on pay-per-view, and with all Joplin Outlaws and MINK League passes. Additionally, free audio-only options will also be available.
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