Instant Classic Opens MINK Championship With Historic Renegades Victory

JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI - By Chris Kamler, MINK League Staff

The 2023 MINK League Championship Series began with an extra-innings instant classic with the Jefferson City Renegades notching their first ever win in a championship series 8-7 in 10 excitement-filled innings. Starting his evening on the bench and even walking the stands taking 50/50 raffle donations, pinch runner Kevin Sanchez relieved third baseman Justin Rivera after a ninth inning leadoff hit. Sanchez would be gunned down at second in the ninth, but come up with an RBI walk-off RBI double in the bottom of the tenth, scoring Aiden Baumann to defeat the 3-time defending champion St. Joseph Mustangs at Vivion Field in Jeff City.

The series began under sweltering heat with thermometers reading 99 degrees at first temp and 90 degrees three hours later at the end. Both teams threw their number two starters - Cade Schupp for the Renegades - out of Allen County CC. Schupp had been a workhorse for Jeff City notching the second most innings but also carrying a lofty 7.92 ERA.

In a town known for legislation and politics, it was the Mustangs who laid down the law early in the game, scoring four runs in the first two innings via seven hits. These two teams would combine for 31 hits on the night. While Vivion Field has hosted greats such as Satchel Paige and others, Thursday, the park doubled as a Dating App on Thursday night as there were 28 singles in the ten-inning contest.

On the hill for the Mustangs was Des Moines Area CC starter Tyler Hilsabeck who had a 5-2 record in the regular season and a team second ERA of 3.2. Hilsabeck would go four innings, allowing 10 hits and five runs-all earned; while Schupp would also allow five runs (all earned), on 10 hits. The game was like two prize fighters standing in the ring trading blows. Both teams with plenty of hits, but also plenty of men left on base - 10 for the Renegades, 11 for the Mustangs.

The bullpen would take over as Camden Lutz pitched the fifth through ninth innings allowing only 2 runs off of five hits. But it was the bullpen of the Renegades who would hold the Mustangs scoreless in innings eight, nine, and ten thanks to Manny Gonzalez who only allowed two hits with a strikeout to earn the walkoff victory. The bottom of the tenth started with a Baumann hit, and then a nuke to right field by New Jersey native Kevin Sanchez. He said after the game that his coaches and family felt the MINK League-specifically Jeff City-would be the right place for him to grow this summer. It turns out his growth put his Renegades one win away from a title.

Here's how the walkoff sounded courtesy Show-Me Sports Network

The series now shifts northwest to St. Jospeph, Missouri, where the Mustangs will need to take two from the Renegades Friday and Saturday to take the best two-out-of-three series if they hope to hoist the championship this season. For the Renegades, the never-say-die attitude needs to head on the road for a business trip to St. Joe to take their first title since the team was formed in 2017.

We'll have full coverage of Game 2 (and 3, if necessary) here on MINK League Baseball.

GAME NOTES:

• Four Renegades (Luke Matschiner, Eli Hill, Aiden Baumann, Nate McHugh) and two Mustangs (Brayden Luikart, Trevor McCollum) notched three hits in the contest.
• Matschiner would also have a double and two stolen bases
• Of note: The official box score lists Kevin Sanchez with a game-winning double, but I think we all know he's going to tell his friends it was a game winning triple.

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