The Joplin Outlaws used strong pitching and plenty of run support to log a pair of wins over the weekend against the Texarkana Rhinos at Joe Becker Stadium.
In the series opener on Friday, starter Cole Gayman (3-0) hurled a two-hit shutout and Outlaws’ bats peppered Rhino pitching for 11 hits in a 10-0 shutout.
In Game 2 on Saturday, Conner Johnson gave the Outlaws another quality start en route to a 7-4 Outlaws win. Johnson hurled a two-hit shutout through five innings, striking out seven and walking one.
The final game of the three-game series was canceled due to weather Sunday evening.
The Outlaws are now 9-3 on the year, and third in the Mid-America League standings behind the Sherman Shadowcats (13-1) and the Abilene Flying Bison (11-3).
Game 1
Friday’s game was the third straight shutout for Gayman (3-0), who struck out nine and walked one in six innings of work.
Outlaws manager Dean Green talked about his starting rotation, which now sports a league-low 3.33 ERA as a team.
“So far this year, they have been nails for us,” Green said. “Truthfully, I have been fortunate with the group that we have in here. Brian Flynn (owner) and Konor Lathrop (general manager) did a great job of building this lineup for us with good arms from different venues throughout the country.”
Green also talked about his ace, Gayman.
“Cole was one that I was fortunate enough to watch a little bit this year when he came to Rogers State,” Green said. “He can provide a lot of impact for a team on the mound. He shows why he was the all-time wins leader at Missouri Southern. He comes out here and dominates and shows the younger guys how it’s supposed to be done.”
Landin Midgett got the Outlaws on the board in the bottom of the second inning when he plated Murchael Turner with a sacrifice fly to center field. Andre Jackson II made it a 2-0 game when he brought Maverick Williamson home with a single up the middle. Jackson increased the Joplin lead to 3-0 when he scooted home on a passed ball.
The Joplin lead swelled to 6-0 with three runs in the bottom of the third frame. Mark Ross II scored on a Finn Kaiyala ground out and Williamson smacked a two-run homer that brought Turner across the plate.
The Outlaws tallied another run in the bottom of the fifth, off a Turner single to center that scored Kaiyala and gave Joplin a 7-0 lead.
Joplin’s final three runs came in the bottom of the sixth inning. Tyler Brodrick extended Joplin’s lead to 8-0 with a single to short that plated Jackson. Cy Darnell scored on a Kailaya in-field single and Tyler Brodrick came home on a Texarkana error after a Blake Wilson single.
Three Outlaws logged multiple hits in the opener. Turner and Jackson both finished 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI each. Turner added two stolen bases and Darnell went 2 for 3 with a run and two stolen bases.
Game 2
“The curveball was working really well for me,” Johnson said after Saturday’s game. “I started mixing in the change-up a lot, but my curveball was probably the best I’ve had it all year.”
Johnson also praised the Outlaws’ leadership on the mound, calling it “a big-time rotation.”
Joplin jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the opening frame. Will Doherty drove in Wilson with a single down the left field line and Doherty later scored on an Evan Aslaksen groundout to first base.
The Outlaws increased their lead to 4-0 with another pair of runs in the bottom of the second. Doherty brought Ravaughn Morgan across the plate with a sacrifice fly to center field and Darnell scored on a Midgett sacrifice to center.
The Joplin lead ballooned to 5-0 in the bottom of the fifth off a Doherty infield single that plated Darnell.
Texarkana inched closer with a trio of runs in the top of the sixth inning. Cade Parks and Marques Smith both scored on a Mason Sellers single up the middle and Mason Meinke came home on a Jackson Glymph sacrifice fly to left field.
Joplin’s Morgan answered the Rhinos tallies with a lead-off homer in the bottom of the sixth frame. Doherty made it a 7-3 game when he scored as Midgett was thrown out at second.
The Rhinos scored once in the top of the seventh, when Glymph drew a bases-loaded walk that brought Smith home, but the Texarkana rally fell short as Joplin hung on for the win.
The Outlaws logged 14 hits in the game, including three Joplin players who finished with three hits. Doherty finished 3 for 4 with three RBIs and two runs, Wilson was 3 for 4 with a run and Turner went 3 for 4.
“Our lineup is finally starting to turn the corner,” Green said. “Our guys are starting to get comfortable with the pitching that they are seeing in this league now. Some of it was just knocking the rust off at first. Finally they are starting to come around a little bit and getting good approaches at the plate and seeing the ball well. Hitting is contagious, when one guy starts doing it, then another will start and pretty soon, everyone has got it.”
Reliever Will Newberry logged the save for Joplin after giving up no runs on one hit, while striking out one and walking none in one inning.
The Outlaws travel to Fort Smith (4-11) for a four-game series beginning Tuesday before returning home to Joe Becker Saturday to face the Shadowcats.