July 15, 2021
By Brennan Mense
JOPLIN, MO—The eighth time was the charm as the Joplin Outlaws took out the frustration of seven straight losses to the Nevada Griffons, winning the final matchup of the season between the two squads by a final score of 8-0 on Thursday night at Joe Becker Stadium.
Joplin (16-16) jumped out to a 5-0 lead after three innings and held Nevada (15-17) to just three hits, none after the third inning. The Griffons had their four-game winning streak snapped while the Outlaws snapped a three-game skid of their own.
The Outlaws jumped out to a first inning lead against Nevada lefty Will Jacobson. Brett Wiemers led off with a single, then Caleb Feuerstake legged out a bunt single. Following a sacrifice bunt by Logan Cline, Ethan Ellis roped a line drive to left field that scored both runners to stake Joplin to a 2-0 lead.
With the lead in hand, Outlaws starter Gavin Heltemes deftly worked around traffic early in the contest. He stranded a leadoff single in the first and stranded a runner at third in the second, striking out the final two batters in each inning.
In the third, Heltemes again found himself in hot water as he issued a leadoff walk then allowed a two-out single, putting two on with two out for Braeden Hinton. Hinton skied a 1-0 pitch to deep left field, but Ellis timed his jump perfectly and pulled the ball down from just above the top of the wall, robbing Hinton of a potential three-run homer.
The play turned the tide of the game. Instead of Nevada taking the lead, the Outlaws came to bat with the two-run lead intact. However, Jacobson quickly retired the first two batters in the third, but his command betrayed him, as he bracketed two walks around a hit batter, loading the bases for Jeb Jenkins.
Jacobson was able to find the strike zone against Jenkins, but the Outlaws' second baseman ripped a fastball into the gap in deep left-center, clearing the bases with a three-run double, which staked the Outlaws to a 5-0 lead.
From there, the pitching took over for Joplin. Heltemes ended his outing with a scoreless fourth, then handed things off to Zach Hill, who threw a season-high 3.0 hitless innings, including setting down his first seven hitters. Ward Richardson followed with 2.0 hitless frames of his own.
Frustration boiled over for Nevada in the top of the eighth, as Jack Swisher was ejected following a called third strike. The Griffons would end the game without a hit over the final 6.1 innings of the contest.
Meanwhile, the Outlaws put the bow on top with two runs in the seventh and one more in the eighth against Griffons reliever Alec Telles. Richardson then navigated a leadoff walk in the ninth, striking out Chase St. Amand looking to end the game, securing the elusive win over Nevada.
Jenkins led the way offensively with a 3-for-3 night, driving in three, stealing three bases, and reaching in all five of his plate appearances. Feuerstake added three hits and two steals of his own.
Heltemes (2-0) went 4.0 scoreless innings in his first start of the season, allowing three hits and three walks, while striking out five to earn his first win. Hill tossed a season-high 3.0 innings, walking one and striking out one without a hit. Richardson threw 2.0 hitless innings to finish things off, allowing a walk and striking out a season-high four batters.
The Outlaws will turn their attention to the North Division-leading Clarinda A's for two games, with tonight's game beginning at 7:00 at Joe Becker Stadium. The game will be available on pay-per-view, as well as with all Joplin Outlaws and MINK League passes.
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