The Jefferson City Renegades saw their Diamond Baseball League campaign slip to a 7-5 loss against the Salina Sliders on Tuesday night, a result that underscores the thin margins that define the league.
Key Performances
Gabriel Jackson’s two-run single in the seventh proved the turning point, while AJ Evans’ ninth-inning double kept hope alive for the Renegades. On the mound, Adam Wade’s three innings of work highlighted both promise and the need for tighter control.
Early in the contest, the Renegades struck first when Spencer Baehman delivered an RBI single in the opening frame, plating a run that put Jefferson City on the board. The Sliders answered in the bottom of the first with a sacrifice groundout from Taiga Kunii that tied the game.
The momentum shifted in the third inning when the Sliders erupted for three runs, taking a 4-3 lead that would loom large later in the game.
A pivotal seventh-inning rally propelled Salina ahead. Jake Erwin opened the frame with a single, and Caden Tuck followed with a hit that scored Erwin. Gabriel Jackson then drove in two runs with a single to left, extending the Sliders' advantage to 7-4.
Jefferson City refused to go quietly. In the ninth, AJ Evans doubled to right, bringing home Spencer Baehman and narrowing the gap to 7-5. However, Conner Flieg’s walk loaded the bases, and Thomas Pyland’s strikeout ended the rally.
Pitching was a mixed bag for the Renegades. Adam Wade surrendered four runs over three innings, striking out three while walking four. Carter Otto and Reiss Beahan combined for 3 1/3 and 1 2/3 innings of relief, respectively, but the damage had already been done.
Offensively, the Renegades managed seven hits but stranded 15 runners, a costly inefficiency that proved decisive. Spencer Baehman finished 1-for-3 with three walks, an RBI and a run scored, while Gabriel Jackson led the Sliders with a 2-for-4 performance and two RBIs.
Both teams now turn their attention to a third game later today, with Jefferson City sitting at 10-14 and Salina at 9-10 in the league standings.