JOPLIN, Mo. — The Joplin Outlaws are champions once again, securing their second consecutive Mid America League title with a 10-6 victory over the Abilene Flying Bison in Game 3 of the championship series on Saturday.
The back-to-back champion Outlaws finished the season at 50-16.
The Outlaws wasted no time jumping in front, jumping to a 6-0 lead by the second inning. Luke Shannahan’s RBI single in the first scored Tyler Brodrick, who crossed the plate three times in the game. The second inning saw Joplin erupt for five runs, sparked by Jackson Mervosh’s RBI double and capped by Murchael Turner’s towering two-run homer to left field, his second RBI of the night. Turner went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI.
Abilene refused to go quietly. Trailing 6-1 after a sacrifice fly by Cooper Schneider in the third, the Flying Bison mounted a furious rally in the sixth. Yahir Ramirez, who scored three runs, ignited the comeback with an RBI single, followed by Preston Newberry’s two-run single that capitalized on a fielding error by Turner in right field. Schneider’s RBI single tied the game at 6-6, silencing the Joplin faithful momentarily.
But the Outlaws, as they’ve done all season, responded with championship mettle. In the seventh, Brodrick sparked a rally with a leadoff single, followed by Turner’s single and Shannahan’s walk to load the bases. Reece Bariola’s hit-by-pitch brought home the go-ahead run, and Mark Ross II drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 8-6. A wild pitch and Garrett Springer’s RBI single pushed the lead to 10-6, putting the game out of reach.
Marcus Young (2-0) earned the win in relief, tossing 3 2/3 scoreless innings with four strikeouts, while starter Keaton Anderson battled through 5 1/3 innings, allowing five earned runs. For Abilene, Coleson Abel (0-1) took the loss after surrendering four runs in 4 1/3 innings.
Abilene’s Ramirez led the way with two hits and three runs, while Schneider and Newberry each drove in two. Despite the loss, Flying Bison manager Tom Fielding lauded his team’s effort.