Game One of the Last Regular Season Homestand: Joplin Jailbirds vs Chillicothe Mudcats 7/23/2026

As the regular season is wrapping up, 4 teams are still in the hunt for a first round bye. The Jailbirds help themselves against Chillicothe with a win 7-6.

Joplin will host the Mudcats tomorrow night at 7pm.

The Jailbirds sit 3.5 games back off a bye going into this series.

The Mudcats are also fighting as they are 2 games ahead to stay in the playoffs.

Joplin would get out to a hot start. Landin Midgett would hit a single to center field and Jordan Tucker would make it home from second base to score. Drake Lee would then hit just inside the first base line for a double which would score Blake Jones. 

The Jailbirds would lose this 2-0 lead in the 2nd as the Mudcats would score 3.

It wouldn’t take long for the Jailbirds to score again. In the bottom of the 3rd Drake Lee would get their second RBI of the night while an error on the play would score Landin Midgett. Jose Ole Gomez would then double and score Lee. This put the Birds up 5-3.

Lee’s hot streak would continue with a single that would score Austin Marsh. Landin Midgett would then score off a pitch that bounced off the plate and through the catcher’s legs. This set the score 7-3. 

The mudcats would score 3 to take the score to 7-6 Jailbirds in the 8th.

Marcus Young would once again be called to win the game. He would get the last out in the 8th. He would see himself in a tricky spot as the bases were loaded with only one out. The next batter would strike out swinging but a dropped third strike would see the runner on 3rd base attempt to run home but was tagged. A dropped strike with a runner on third is still ruled out. Therefore it was double play to end the game.

Deacon Endicott picked up the win. He pitched 3 innings, allowed 1 hit, and struck out 4 batters.

Drake Lee was the MAPP Technologies Player of the Game. They went 3 for 4 batting, had 3 RBIs, and 1 run scored.

The playoffs are still all to play for going into the last 2 games.

Article by Austin Dye

Photo by Frankie Enna Photography