The offense was there from start to finish in the Jefferson City Renegades' first game of a doubleheader Monday against the Clarinda A's.
Jefferson City scored in every inning, and it needed to, just to keep ahead of Clarinda at the end.
The Renegades posted double-digit runs for the first time since July 7, opening the twinbill with a 10-8 win against the A's at Vivion Field.
"We got timely hitting," Renegades manager Mike DeMilia said. "That's the recipe for everything."
Most of the damage was done by Jefferson City's Nos. 6-8 hitters - Avery Jennings, Anthony Green and Mason Price. The trio combined to drive in eight runs and had five of the Renegades' nine hits.
The three players have also spent time in the top half of the batting order during the season, which shows the depth of the Renegades' lineup.
"We really don't have any weak links in our lineup," DeMilia said. "We're not necessarily a high-powered lineup, but I don't think we have an easy out. Those guys at the bottom can definitely contribute."
With the score tied at 1 in the bottom of the second inning, Belle graduate Mason Price smashed a 1-0 pitch to deep left field. The ball cleared the red shed, traveling at least 400 feet, and A's left fielder Alec Paz didn't move as Price's solo shot gave the Renegades a 2-1 lead.
"I haven't hit a home run in a long time," said Price, who hit his first home run of the summer Monday. "To break through like that was pretty exciting."
Jefferson City led 4-1 through three innings, but Clarinda answered with three runs in the fourth to tie the game.
Jennings put the Renegades back on top with a two-run double in the bottom half of the inning to make the score 6-4. He finished 2-for-2 at the plate, adding an RBI single in the first.
The A's were looking to strike back in the top of the fifth, putting the first three batters on base. Mondesi Gutierrez singled to left field, but Hunter Swift picked up an outfield assist, gunning down Jordan Abushahla at the plate to keep the Renegades on top by two.
"No question about it, that was the biggest play of the game," DeMilia said. "If they held him, they would have had bases loaded with no outs. If they score, it's second and third with no outs. Then it's a whole different ballgame, so that was a huge throw."
Clarinda would come back to tie the game at 7, but Jefferson City took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth.
With two runners on and no outs, Green singled into left field, scoring Swift as the go-ahead run. Green finished 2-for-4 with three RBI, adding a two-run single in the third.
"After going down in my first at-bat on strikes, I was just trying to stay level-headed," Green said. "I knew there would be other situations, and I was just going up, trying to look for something I knew I could handle, and I got it."
Price added a sacrifice fly and Green scored on a fielder's choice later in the inning to give the Renegades a 10-7 lead.
Cody Creed made his season debut Monday, starting on the mound for the Renegades. He was held out of the rotation to start the summer after pitching 71 innings this spring at Jefferson College, but Creed struck out two and allowed one run in his one inning of work.
"He hasn't been throwing long enough, but in his next start, we're going to lengthen him to more than one inning," DeMilia said. "Hopefully he'll be able to push himself a bit there, and if we get into the postseason, he'll be a big contributor."
Jordan Magers retired the first seven batters he faced in relief and allowed three unearned runs in three innings. Alex Hanft, also making his Renegades debut, picked up the win, pitching the final three innings. He allowed four runs (two earned) on seven hits and struck out two.
Hanft is the 39th different player to pitch this season for Jefferson City.
The Renegades completed the doubleheader sweep in game two, scoring seven runs in the bottom of the second inning to top Clarinda 8-3.
Swift drove in two runs and scored twice, and then closed the game by pitching a scoreless inning in the top of the seventh.
Cole Evans added two hits, improving his batting average to .353, and Jake Litteken had two RBI.
Ethan O'Keefe picked up the win in relief of Logan Winder, who allowed two runs in 2 innings. O'Keefe pitched the next 1 innings, surrendering just two hits. Tyler Swehla allowed a leadoff homer in the fifth but kept the A's in check after that, walking two and striking out one in two innings of work.
Jefferson City (15-21) will wrap up its three-game series against Clarinda (14-20) at 7 p.m. today.
"We're trying to get in the postseason, so any win is big," DeMilia said. "We're in good shape right now, but we want to keep the pressure on Joplin.
"Hopefully we can clinch a spot and then we can just work on getting hot for the playoffs."