Renegades End Mustangs Dynasty On Complete Game Shutout

ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI - By Chris Kamler, MINK Staff Writer

This is what baseball is all about - two teams enter, and one leaves the 2023 MINK League Champion

In a series defined thus far by offense, it was a bullpen pitcher tapped to start a "Johnny All-Staff" game who would shine brightest in St. Joseph. Nick Panagos went all nine innings allowing only five hits and no runs as the Jefferson City Renegades put up just enough offense to hoist the 2023 Championship trophy -- the first in franchise history.

The Renegades spent their entire season hovering around .500 took on the three-time defending champions St. Joe Mustangs in a winner take all game three in St. Joe on Saturday night. The Mustangs won their division and were able to rally back for a walk-off victory in 12 innings on Friday night. They stood poised to defend their turf against the upstart and heavy underdog Renegades.

It would be those underdog 'Gades who would break through in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings with runs. Nate McHugh got the scoring started with an RBI scoring Aiden Baumann in the fourth. Two more would be plated in the fifth as Justin Rivera had a sac fly scoring Chase Haner and Luke Matschiner would score during the final out of the inning was made duing a pickle on the basepaths. The Renegades would get their final insurance run in the sixth off of a Kaydn Williams RBI double scoring Kam Durnin.

But the night belonged easily to the incoming Drury sophomore, Panagos. He sparkled through a gritty nine innings and 119 pitches thrown. He held the Mustangs to nothing but goose eggs on the scoreboard. When asked after the game about the last time he threw a complete game, he was unable to come up with any time he'd ever done it. "Tonight was supposed to be a bullpen game. I was just going to go out there and give it my best for as long as I could knowing I have guys behind me." None were needed, however, as Panagos navigated the veteran St. Joe lineup like a missile.

The Mustangs were tough to beat, no question, but it took an outing like Panagos's to keep them at bay to end the four-year reign of the Mustangs in three seasons.

Renegades outfielder Kevin Sanchez, who drove in the game winning RBI in Game 1 but then injured in Game 2 ending his season said after the victory, "I'm so excited I got to leave it all out on the field and we got the win. All the bus rides and practices have been worth it."