Mustangs start 2025 season with statement victory

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) –  Cars lined Southwest Parkway on Wednesday evening as the St. Joseph Mustangs opened the gates to Phil Welch Stadium, kicking off the 2025 season with hopes of chasing a fourth MINK League Championship in five years.

Their opponent, the Northeast Missouri Naturals, formerly known as the Northwest Missouri Craze, made the trip for opening night. While the Mustangs notched a win against this franchise last summer, they continued that success in front of a near-capacity crowd, pulling away late to secure a commanding season-opening 11-0 victory.

Both teams opened the game with sharp pitching. The first inning flew by without a hit, as starters from each side settled in quickly, showing no early nerves despite the electric atmosphere.

The Naturals threatened in the top of the second, collecting back-to-back singles, including a base knock by Matt Asher that moved runners to second and third. With just one out, Grady Hiruska was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. But Mustangs right-hander Aron Harrington responded with poise, recording consecutive strikeouts to escape the jam unscathed.

St. Joseph found a spark in the bottom half of the inning. Jack Mosh laced a double down the line for the team’s first hit of the night. That brought Savannah native Truman Bodenhausen to the plate, who delivered with a perfectly placed liner over the second baseman’s glove, dropping into the right-center field gap. Mosh raced home to give the Mustangs an early 1-0 edge after two innings.

St. Joseph found a spark in the bottom half of the inning. Jack Mosh laced a double down the line for the team’s first hit of the night. That brought Savannah native Truman Bodenhausen to the plate, who delivered with a perfectly placed liner over the second baseman’s glove, dropping into the right-center field gap. Mosh raced home to give the Mustangs an early 1-0 lead after two innings.

Mosh was back at it in the bottom of the fourth, reaching base and then swiping second. That set the stage for Parker Griffith, who ripped a single back up the middle, allowing Mosh to cross the plate again and extend the lead to 2-0. A few batters later, Griffith came home on a sacrifice fly, giving St. Joseph a 3-0 advantage heading into the fifth.

In the fifth, Darius Freeman reached base and eventually scored on a ground ball by Tyler Gundelfinger. The Naturals’ shortstop couldn’t handle the sharp bounce, allowing Gundelfinger to reach safely and Freeman to extend the lead to 4-0.

Control problems plagued the Naturals’ pitching staff in the bottom of the sixth. With the bases loaded, Jayden Little drew a walk to bring in another run. A fifth walk of the inning added another, and a wild pitch plated the seventh run. By the end of the frame, the Mustangs had ballooned their lead to 9-0.

St. Joseph tacked on two more in the bottom of the seventh that brought them to that 11-0 total, helping seal an 11-0 win in dominant fashion. The Mustangs return to action Friday night at 7 p.m., when they host the Kansas City Monarchs at Phil Welch Stadium.