Billings Holds Advantage Throughout In 9-5 Defeat

MISSOULA, MT- The Missoula PaddleHeads opened their final homestand of the regular season Tuesday in the first game in a 6 game set opposite the Billings Mustangs. These two squads have had their battles over the last 3 seasons with postseason matchups highlighting that in the last 2 years. Despite that not being a possible scenario in this season, the Mustangs can end their season on a high with a successful week on the road. Their performance in game 1 of this series Tuesday got them off to a good start. 

The Mustangs would jump to the board in the first 3 innings to hold the lead in the early going.Mustangs starter Shane Spencer would then hold the PaddleHeads offense off the board from innings 3 through 6. Extra base hit success would then play a big role for the Mustangs attack building their lead to as big as 6 runs. The PaddleHeads would cut into that deficit in the 9th inning but would ultimately fall short in a 9-5 loss to open the series. 

Success in the first 2 innings with 2 outs recorded would play a role in the Mustangs jumping to the lead. A 2-out single from Dylan Leach would get Billings on the board in the first making the score 1-0. Blake Evans would make the lead 2 in the next frame with a single up the middle with 2 away. The Mustangs 2nd baseman would be productive in later at bats as well.

Missoula would have an answer to the early inning success in the bottom of the 2nd inning. After a leadoff single from Adam Fogel, Hayden Travinski would knot things up at 2 with a 2-run blast down the left field line. Travinski would finish his night 2-for-5. This would be all for the PaddleHeads attack leading to the 7th however thanks to success from Spencer. 

The rookie would earn the win for a successful outing through 6 ⅔. The product of Lewis & Clark State would strike out 9 in those frames while allowing 3 runs. Spencer would also receive all the support he would need behind a pair of big swings in the 6th inning. 

The Mustangs would extend their lead to 4 in the top of the 6th thanks to a 3-run rally. Casey Harford would kick things off in earnest launching a triple into right center to knock in a pair. Ryan would then follow that with an RBI double in short order to give Billings a 6-2 advantage. The 2nd year Mustangs would help Billings put on the finishing touches in the late innings. 

The Mustangs would extend their lead to 9-3 in the top of the 9th inning putting a pair more on the board. Another double from Evans would be the highlight of the frame.The Georgia native would finish the night 3-for-5 with 3 RBIs. 

The PaddleHeads would not go quietly into the night in the bottom of the 9th in a push of offense. After Josh Elvir got a run home, Adam Fogel would rip a base hit up the middle to record an RBI scoring Colin Gordon to cut the deficit to 4. Fogel would reach base 4 times in the ball game in a 3-for-4 effort. A double play ball would bring the frame to halt in an instant however as Billings would avoid a big rally to take home a game 1 victory. 

The PaddleHeads (60-31) will try to bounce back in game 2 of the series with the Mustangs (43-48) in the stretch run of the regular season. Action on a Wednesday evening at the ballpark gets under way with a 7:15 p.m. first pitch. If you cannot make it to Allegiance Field Ogren Park for 'Osprey Night' be sure to follow along with all the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M. and 1029espn.com.