Spencer Quiets PaddleHeads Offense In 6-3 Loss Tuesday

BILLINGS, MT - The 2025 season began for the Missoula PaddleHeads on Tuesday night in the opening game of a 6-game series opposite the Billings Mustangs at Dehler Park. Oftentimes, a solid pitching matchup is part of the equation on an Opening Night with both teams sending their best stuff to the mound for the first game of the season. That would look to be the case coming in from the PaddleHeads side surely with 2024 Pioneer League Pitcher of the Year Mike Peterson taking the ball for game 1. 

Shane Spencer would get the nod on the flipside for Billings after ending last season on a high note with the club in his first experience in professional baseball. Spencer held a 1.66 ERA in his final 3 starts of 2024.  After the Lewis & Clark State product's outing Tuesday, it's safe to say he aims to also be one of the league's best arms this season. 

After getting through a bases loaded jam in the top of the 1st inning, Spencer would settle in nicely for the Mustangs. The right hander would not allow a Missoula run until the 6th inning allowing the Mustangs to score the first 5 runs of the contest unanswered. Most of Billings' offense would come in innings 4 through 6 which netted them 5 runs combined. 

The PaddleHeads would fight back in the 6th, and 7th getting runs on the board in consecutive innings themselves to give themselves a fighting chance down the stretch. Missoula would be unable to get over the hump however in a 6-3 Opening Night loss to the Mustangs. 

Billings would get their offense going in the early frames jumping to the lead in the 2nd inning thanks to returnee Evan Blum. The native of Georgetown would use a little small-ball in the 2nd to get the first run of the game on the board on a sacrifice fly to left field to score Briley Knight. The 1st baseman would once again be productive a few innings later. 

Blum knocked in a pair more in the bottom of the 4th on a single to make the score 3-0 in favor of the home team.  Blum would knock in a team best 3 runs on the night finishing 1-for-2 in the Mustangs win. Third baseman Tyler Shelnut would expand the Billings lead to 5-0 an inning later hitting a 2-run homer to left center field. The former Florida Gator would finish 1-for-3 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBIs. This would be plenty of breathing room for Spencer. 

The Las Vegas product would scatter 3 hits over 5 ⅓ innings of work for the Mustangs to earn the win on Opening Night. Spencer would allow just 1 run on the night in those innings while striking out 5. In the end, he gave the Mustangs a chance to build a lead big enough to hold on throughout.  PaddleHeads Manager Michael Schlact felt he did well to keep the PaddleHeads offense in check. 

"Spencer mixed his pitches well," Schlact said. "He had us off balance and chasing for the majority of his outing. The biggest thing we saw was he got ahead for the most part and was able to get weak contact." 

PaddleHeads franchise player Kamron Willman would make sure the PaddleHeads would not go down without a fight with a fantastic night at the plate in a losing effort. The 4th year pro would score runs in consecutive innings in frames 6 and 7 as Missoula cut into the lead. 

A single from catcher Nich Klemp would get Missoula on the board in the 6th before a 2-run single from 1st baseman Roberto Pena would make the score 6-3 an inning later. Willman would finish the night with a pair of runs scored going 3-for-4 in his at-bats. That would be the last gasp offensively however as Billings would hold the line from that point. Klemp finished 1-for-4 and Pena was 1-for-3. 

Newly acquired bullpen arm Zac Lampton would have a solid outing in the late innings for Missoula as a bright point in the loss in his professional debut. The Florida International product would strike out a pair in a scoreless 8th inning to give Missoula's offense the best shot they could ask in a comeback effort. An unexpected arm would shut the door however on the flipside. 

Devyn Lopez of the Mustangs is not a name that has never been spoken of in the Pioneer League appearing with the Rocky Mountain Vibes a season ago in 37 games. However, none of those appearances in Colorado Springs came on a pitchers mound for the converted 2nd baseman. The Southern California native would look the part in a clean 9th inning to earn the save for Billings in a 3-run opening night victory. 

The PaddleHeads (0-1) have reason to believe that they will be able to bounce back quickly with veteran left hander Dawson Day set to take the ball for the PaddleHeads in game 2 of the series. After battling through some injury issues to start last season, Day would turn in a fabulous set of outings finishing with a 5-1 record in 8 starts in 2024. Billings (1-0) will look to keep the good vibrations going on their home field in game 2. First pitch of Game 2 from Dehler Park Wednesday night is set for 6:35 p.m.