Mustangs Bullpen Cools Off PaddleHeads, Bats Wake Up to Take Game 1
The Mustangs head to Missoula needing just one win to advance to the Championship Round.
Missoula PaddleHeads
0-1
5
Billings Mustangs
1-0
8
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 3 |
|
|
0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | X | 8 | 13 | 1 |
September 12, 2023
In the opening game of the Divisional Round, the PaddleHeads were first to strike. Luis Navarro drove in a run with a single in the first inning, then Missoula tacked on two runs in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Keaton Greenwalt and an RBI single by Hubbard. The Billings lineup cut into the lead in the bottom of the inning, with a two-run single by Luke Fennelly. In the bottom of the third, Alejandro Figueredo hit an RBI triple and came around to score on Mitch Moralez's sacrifice fly, giving Billings a 4-3 lead. Billings added two more runs in the fourth on an RBI double from Gabe Wurtz and an RBI single by Figueredo. Wurtz finished the night with four hits and was just a home run shy of the cycle. Josh Elvir got Missoula a run closer with a solo home run in the top of the fifth, but the Mustangs came right back with a run of their own on an RBI single by Taylor Lomack. Austin Bernard cranked a solo homer in the top of the sixth, but the Mustangs bullpen was able to hold Missoula in check from there on out. Keagan McGinnis struck out three in a scoreless seventh inning, and Trevor Jackson tossed two scoreless innings for a six-out save. The Mustangs head to Missoula needing just one win to advance to the Championship Round. Game 2 will take place Wednesday at 7:10 PM.