THE 2026 MINK LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Joplin Jailbirds 7/31/2026

The Joplin Jailbirds are your 2026 MINK Champions after a 19-11 win over Chillicothe to sweep the series 2-0!

The Mudcats would score a run in the 1st to open the game.

The Jailbirds would respond with 4 in the bottom of the 4th. 2 singles and a hit by pitch would see the top of the Jailbirds order load the bases. Landin Midgett would be hit by a pitch to score run 1. Drake Lee would find the gap just past the 3rd basemen’s glove in order to score run #3 and #4. Midgett would then get home on a wild pitch.

Chillicothe would hit a 2 run homerun in the 2nd to bring the game within 1.

Unfortunately for them one of the best offenses in the MINK would keep rolling. The Jbirds would get 5 runners across the plate in the 2nd to make the score 9-3 Joplin. The first three batters would all be hit by pitch to load the bases. Eric Williams Jr. would hit deep into left field and score Regan. Blake Jones would be walked and load the bases again. Midgett would hit a single to right field and score 2 runners. After a pitching change, Lee would hit a single to score 1 and Midgett would score on a fielder’s choice.

The Mudcats would be held scoreless in the 3rd.

A Jones single would score Reagan and Ole Gomez and would set the game at 11-3.

Chillicothe wouldn’t be held scoreless in the 4th as they scored 3 runs in what was quickly becoming a shootout.

The Jailbirds would extend the lead to 15-6 in the 4th. Gomez hit a single to center field and saw Lee score. Tucker would then hit home Reagan. Jones would hit a single that would score Tucker and Gomez.

A heroic effort from the Mudcats would see them claw their way back into the game by scoring 6 in the 5th. The 15-11 score would hold until the bottom of 7th.

The Jailbirds would finally be held scoreless in the bottom of 5th and both teams would be unable to score in the 6th.. 

In the bottom of the 7th Landin Midgett would break the scoreless streak by scoring off a wild pitch. 

To put this one even further out of reach Jordan Tucker would swing on the first pitch he saw and send it over the hill in right field for a home run and Elijah Charlot would send home Jones after an error in the field.

Robert Page Jr. would come into the game to pitch in the final inning and would end the game.

Blake Jones is the MAPP Technologies Jailbird of the Game. He went 3 for 4, scoring 3 runs, and had 4 RBIs.

Porter Starnes would receive the win as this one was pitched by committee.

Article by Austin Dye

Photo by Joshua Franklin Photography