The Jefferson City Renegades saw their Diamond Baseball League campaign slip to a 7-5 defeat against the Salina Sliders on Tuesday night, dropping to 10-14 as the series shifts back to Salina for a 7 p.m. showdown.
Early action saw both clubs trade single runs in the opening frame, with Spencer Baehman’s RBI single giving Jefferson City a brief lead before Taiga Kunii’s groundout tied the game. The Renegades surged ahead in the second inning, as Conner Flieg’s two-run single put them up 3-1.
Seventh-Inning Surge
The tide turned in the bottom of the seventh when the Sliders erupted for three runs. Jake Erwin’s leadoff single, stolen bases and subsequent scoring play set the stage, and Gabriel Jackson’s clutch hit added two more, flipping the lead to 7-4.
Jefferson City refused to go quietly, narrowing the gap in the sixth when Malachi Antle’s RBI single plated Zeke Bullard, but the Renegades could only manage a single run before the final out.
Despite out-hitting the Sliders 7-5 and stranding 15 baserunners, the Renegades’ offense stalled, while Salina’s pitching staff limited damage with solid relief appearances from Carter Otto and Reiss Beahan.
Spencer Baehman led the Renegades with a 1-for-3 effort that included three walks, an RBI and a run scored, while Jackson’s 2-for-4 night drove in two runs for the Sliders.
The series remains alive, with both teams set to reconvene tonight at 7 p.m. in Salina, hoping to swing momentum in their favor.