An Insider's View To Game 5 vs. Billings

An Insider's View to Satuday Night at Dehler Park

Game 5 

Missoula PaddleHeads @ Billings Mustangs

May 24.2025

6:35 p.m. Dehler Park

Matthew Sox vs. Greg Blackman

A 5th To Forget

Missoula was seemingly one pitch away from avoiding trouble in the bottom of the 5th Friday night. That third out proved to be hard to come by however as Billings would push 7-runs across in a 2-out ambush. As a result, the Mustangs would tie the series at two games apiece. 

As Michael Schlact touched on in postgame comments, it was good to see fight in the PaddleHeads after that ugly sequence. That rally featured just about everything that can go against a pitcher thinking about free passes. That would be a trend all night long as Missoula issued 11 free passes. But you're never going to be able to have your best effort every single night.

 Fighting through adversity is always a good trait to see. At times, you can grind out a win that way even if you did not put out your best effort in certain situations. It did not workout Friday but it was still a good trait to see. That also has been a calling card for teams led by Schlact the last few seasons.

Even Steven 

It is interesting how both teams have used similar formulas at times to win games throughout this series. We've seen games dictated by great starting pitching on both sides. Big rallies have also played a role in both teams finding the win column. As a result, it doesn't feel like anyone has an edge in terms of momentum in this series. This feels like a big game for both sides with that thought in mind. 

Obviously the loser of tonight's contest will still have a chance to salvage a split of the 6-game with a win in the finale on Sunday afternoon. But both teams still have thoughts of picking up 4 wins this week and will come out firing in search of it tonight. Thinking about how these two teams faced off with each other a season ago, it might be a great boost of momentum. 

How even these teams played last season has been touched on throughout the week. These 2 teams will also have their battles throughout the season. Missoula, and Billings will play each other 12 more times this season in regular season contests after this series ends. It could be a big mental boost for one of these teams if they find a way to win this series. So will a team be able to send a message or will this series end in another stalemate?

Saturday's Pitching Matchup

RHP #23 Matthew Sox (0-0) (0.00 ERA) vs. RHP #18 Greg Blackman  (0-0) 0.00 ERA 

Sox's' 2023 Season Highlights:

• (1-5) 6.90 ERA in 12 appearances (10 starts) with the Boise Hawks

• 39 Strikeouts/21 Walks in 45 ⅔ innings pitched. 

• Sox made his professional debut in Boise on June 21 in a game against Grand Junction.

• The right hander would go on to average nearly 8 strikeouts per 9 innings with Boise. 

• The former Utah Ute would resign with the Hawks ahead of the 2024 season but would never appear.

• One of the better outings the Southern California native would have in 2023 would be against Billings allowing just 2 runs over 7 innings of work in a Hawks win on July 11. 

• Prior to his time at Utah, Sox would spend 3 seasons pitching at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington.   

Blackman's 2024 Season Highlights

• (4-3) 4.17 ERA in 11 appearances (9 starts) With Billings

• 57 Strikeouts/19 walks in 54 innings innings pitched 

• Blackman also pitched in 12 games in relief with the Tri-City Valley Cats of the Frontier League last season. 

• Blackman would make his Mustangs debut in 2024 on July 4 after being acquired in a trade from the Frontier League. 

• Blackman ended the season strong pitching into the 5th inning or later in his final 6 starts. 

• The Lewis & Clark State product got the win in his last outing against Missoula, striking out 8 batters while allowing 2 runs in a game on September 7.  

• Blackman made his professional debut with the Great Falls Voyagers in 2023 appearing in 19 games after the conclusion of his 5-year collegiate career with the Warriors. 

Roster Transaction 

The Billings Mustangs made a move to their active roster Saturday adding to the pitching staff. Right hander Chris Hardin was signed by the club. The corresponding move saw Justin Stewart released. 

This will be Hardin's 3rd season in professional baseball after spending time in the American Association the last 2 seasons. He saw his most action in 2023 with Sioux Falls  making 20 appearances (14 starts). The Western Oregon product also pitched with Fargo in 2024. 

Game 5 Starting Lineups

Missoula PaddleHeads (2-2)

1. #2 Kamron Willman DH

2. #6 Alec Sanchez CF

3. #7 Roberto Pena 1B

4. #21 Mike Rosario RF

5. #1 Nich Klemp C

6. #8 Colin Gordon 2B

7. #27 Taylor Smith LF

8. #18 Carlos Perez 3B

9. #3 Colby Wilkerson SS

RHP #23 Matthew Sox

Billings Mustangs (2-2)

1. #22 AJ Shaver CF

2. #37 Briley Knight LF

3. #6 Dylan Leach DH

4. #23 Cameron Bowen SS

5. #9 Jack O'Dowd 2B 

6. #24 Jacob Kline 1B 

7. #49 Patrick Mills RF

8. #8 Colby Seltzer 3B

9. #34 Ronnie Allen C

RHP #18 Greg Blackman 

3 Big Questions For Game 5

1. Will The PaddleHeads Find A Way To Stop Briley Knight?

It's hard to find a better performer at the plate than what we have seen to this point from the Portland State product. Knight holds a .616 batting average over the first 4 games of the series. That places him in the top 3 in average in the early stages of the Pioneer League season. 

Collectively however, Billings has a .269 team average to this point in the series in 130 at-bats. Furthermore, Kolby Seltzer is the only Mustang that has played in all 4 games to this point that has an average over .300. So clearly now there will be emphasis put on executing in his at-bats. What tactics will Michael Schlact look for his pitchers to implore to have more success against him? Will the PaddleHeads execute that plan? 

2. Will Roberto Pena & Mike Rosario Continue Their Great Starts? 

Pena, and Rosario have both come on extremely well offensively to kick off their 2nd season. Its clear to see that there isn't any sort of 'Sophomore Slump' for either of these two to get out the gates. Pena has found the power hitting 4 home runs, and patience at the plate having walked 3 times in his at-bats as well. The duo also lead the team in batting average to this point as both players sit at .471. That is also impressive from Rosario's perspective thinking about how he came out in this series in Game 1 finishing 0-for-5. He has recorded 2 hits or more in his last 3 ballgames. 

Obviously the Mustangs will focus on those 2 bats in the same way that Missoula will focus on Knight. But even if Billings manages to slow them down, Missoula also has numerous other hitters that have had success so far this season. Colby Wilkerson has been impressive the last few games after a slow start to the week and holds a .400 batting average. Colin Gordon has also homered twice in the series to this point. In total, the PaddleHeads have 7 players on the roster that have an average over .300 to this point. 

Will This Be A Night For Carlos Perez to Find His Grove? 

One of the more impressive performers during Spring Training for me was the Miami product. Michael Schlact also said "Perez looks stronger physically this spring compared to where he was last season," in a conversation I had with him during spring camp. He also got off to a great start in Pioneer League action at the end of last season finishing with a batting average north of .300 in 25 games. Everything looked to be in line for Perez to have a big year this season. It has not gone that way to this point in 3 games.

Perez was held to just 1 hit in his first 14 at-bats to this point to open the season. Perez did receive a night off Friday after playing in the first 3 games of the series. Now this is a chance to reset and find his swing. Sometimes getting that mental break in the midst of a slump can be exactly what turns things around. So we will see how Perez fairs tonight. I also would like to see more from Taylor Smith who has struck out 8 times in 18 at-bats to this point.