Mustangs force winner-take-all Game 3
JON DYKSTRA/THE FORUM
St. Joseph first baseman Jeter Mauzey (9) celebrates with teammates after homering on Friday at Phil Welch Stadium.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Savannah and Northwest Missouri State product Noah Bodenhausen has been a fixture atop the St. Joseph Mustangs’ lineup — but the left fielder was given the night off in the MINK Championship Game 1 loss to the Clarinda A’s.
Bodenhausen was back in the lineup for the do-or-die Game 2 and provided a shot in the arm for a Mustang squad that looked lethargic the night before in Clarinda.
“We knew this was a must win,” Bodenhausen said. “We had to go out there and play our best game.”
Bodenhausen opened the game with an infield single and didn’t come around to score, but Bodenhausen changed that in the bottom of the second with a 1-out, 2-run single to give the Mustangs the game’s first lead.
“Hit the ball hard up the middle and good things will happen,” he said.
The A’s made that lead short-lived thanks to a costly 2-run error by Mustang shortstop Mason Holton. Clarinda scored three in the inning and took a 3-2 lead.
That lead was even shorter-lived for the A’s as Jeter Mauzey blasted a leadoff homer over the left field fence for the Mustangs in the bottom of the third.
Bodenhausen made a diving catch to help keep the game tied as the teams traded scoreless fourth innings.
“It was just a fly ball down the line,” Bodenhausen said. “I kinda got a late jump on it, so I had to dive at the end, but we made the play and that is what matters.”
The game remained tied until the fifth inning when the errors flipped. Back-to-back errors to open the inning set Holton up for a go-ahead sac-fly and a 4-3 lead.
That was all Jase Johnson needed as the Scottsdale (Ariz.) Community College pitcher came in for the final four innings of relief.
“Once he told me that I was going to have the ball, I knew that I was going to do my best to keep them from hitting it and getting a run,” Johnson said. “… I came into the dugout in the eighth inning and Coach asked me how I was feeling, and I said, ‘I want the ball.’”
Johnson has a memorable style on the mound with a demonstrative approach and no fear of letting his emotions show. He credited his teammates with helping him keep his emotions under control.
“I was pretty amped up,” Johnson said. “It was awesome. Hearing St. Joe cheering the whole time was awesome. My teammates were there to calm me down a little bit.”
The Park Hill graduate threw four shutout innings in relief.
The Mustangs are hoping that despite not a great start to the series, they can end it with the hardware. Holton had that happen on Friday with the early error, but gave the team a key insurance run with an eighth inning home run — providing the 5-3 final score.
“Baseball is a game of failure,” Holton said. “I try not to dwell on the bad things that happen. That (error) happened and I was pretty much just looking for a way to impact my team and help them out in the game.”
Holton and Mauzey each finished with three hits while Bodenhausen had two.
“We’ve been saying it in the clubhouse all day that we play better with our heels against the wall,” Holton said. “I think that just brought an edge — losing yesterday.”
The A’s mustered one final threat in the ninth inning with Khi Holiday and Joey Caruso reaching with no outs and Clarinda star Sean Bazmore coming to the plate. Johnson got Bazmore to line out to second and Caruso was doubled off first.
Johnson ended the game with a strikeout and turned to the A’s dugout to perform their on-base celebration towards them. That sets the table for Saturday’s winner-take-all Game 3.
The teams will wrap up their seasons on Saturday at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Phil Welch Stadium.
“We are ready to bring it home this year,” Holton said.
