St. Joseph Mustangs Eliminated in Opening Round of MINK League Playoffs

Jul 28

2 min read

The St. Joseph Mustangs saw their 2026 campaign come to a close Monday night after falling 12-6 to the Chillicothe Mudcats in the opening round of the MINK League Playoffs, ending the club's bid for a third consecutive league championship.

Playing in front of the home crowd at Phil Welch Stadium in St. Joseph, Missouri, the Mustangs came out strong and built an early 2-0 lead. However, the momentum shifted in the fifth inning when Chillicothe erupted for seven runs, taking control of the game and never looking back.

Despite the disappointing finish, the Mustangs put together another successful season, finishing with a 25-16 overall record and 22-15 in MINK League play. The team remained in the playoff race throughout the summer and closed the regular season on a strong note, earning key victories over the Nevada Griffons and Carroll Merchants to secure postseason

baseball in St. Joseph.

The 2026 season also featured several individual accomplishments. Six Mustangs were recognized as MINK League All-Stars based on their performance throughout the summer, including Boston Bruce, Jayden Little, Tyler Gundelfinger, Brayden Luikart, Lane Chapman, and Sebastian Coleman. Although this year's All-Star Game was canceled because of weather-related scheduling issues, the selections highlighted the talent that helped power another winning season in St. Joseph.

Throughout the summer, the Mustangs were once again among the league's top teams, putting together winning streaks, defending their home field at Phil Welch Stadium, and giving local baseball fans another memorable season. The club also continued its tradition of developing collegiate talent while drawing strong community support from fans across St. Joseph and Buchanan County.

With the victory, the Chillicothe Mudcats advance to the MINK League semifinals, where they will face the Clarinda A's.

While the quest for a third straight MINK League championship fell short, the Mustangs once again finished as one of the league's premier programs and will look to reload for another run when baseball returns to St. Joseph next summer.