The St. Joseph Mustangs opened their 2016 season with a 7-3 victory over the Ban Johnson Raiders Wednesday night at Phil Welch Stadium.

A record crowd came out to see St. Joe’s summer college baseball team as 4,493 fans were in attendance, a new opening night record.

The game was scoreless until the third inning when St. Joseph centerfielder Jacob Richardson had an RBI single and he later scored on a Davey Casciola base hit.

The Mustangs extended their lead in the fifth with three more runs, all unearned, as Trent Hill drove in two of them with a single.

St. Joe then took a 7-0 lead in the seventh inning as Dade Wheeler scored on a wild pitch and Hill came in on a fielder’s choice.

Miles Kilgore picked up the win as he went six innings and allowed just one hit.  He struck out three and walked five.  Jonathan Lynch and Logan Campbell each threw a scoreless inning of relief, but the Raiders scored their only runs in the ninth inning off of Colton Kenagy.

The Mustangs are back at home Thursday as they host Sedalia in their first MINK League game of the season.  The first pitch is at 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN 1550 AM.