Baserunning Errors Prove Costly in 6-2 Loss

In a game between the Billings Mustangs and the Boise Hawks, the Hawks came out on top with a 6-2 victory. The Mustangs struggled to get their offense going, managing only two runs on eight hits throughout the game.

The Hawks (27-20) took an early lead in the third inning when Trevor Minder grounded out, allowing Raymond Gil to score, putting the Hawks up 1-0. In the fifth inning, the Hawks extended their lead with three more runs. Minder hit a single to center field, driving in Tyler Jorgensen. Kenny Oyama followed with a single, bringing home Minder, and Sam Olsson added a sacrifice fly, scoring Minder. The Hawks led 4-0.

In the seventh inning, the Hawks continued to pile on the runs. Oyama hit a double down the left field line, bringing in Minder for an unearned run. Derek Maiben then singled up the middle, driving in Oyama, giving the Hawks a comfortable 6-0 lead.

The Mustangs (19-28) had three major base running errors. In the second inning, Mikey Edie led off the inning with a walk, and Widell caught him stealing on a pickoff. The same happened with one out in the fourth for Edie, as he tried to take second, and again Widell picked him off. In the fifth, Faile hit a one-out double, but a he took off to third on a ground ball to shortstop Trevor Minder, who fired it to the third baseman Derek Maiben for two outs in the inning. 

The Mustangs also had a mixture of bad luck and poor timing when they hit into three straight double plays to end innings in the sixth, seventh, and eighth. With one out in the sixth, Wurtz grounded to short for a 6-4-3 double play. With one out in the seventh, Taylor Lomack drilled a ball to Maiben at third, who threw out Moralez at first to end the inning. And again with one out in the eighth, Tyler Wilber grounded a ball to third for a 5-4-3 inning ending double play. 

The Mustangs finally got on the board in the eighth inning when John Michael Faile hit a solo home run to left field, making it 6-1. In the ninth inning, Mitch Moralez added another run for the Mustangs with a solo home run to left field, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit.

Luke Trueman started on the mound for the Mustangs but had a tough outing, pitching five innings and allowing four earned runs on five hits. He was credited with the loss, bringing his record to 1-4 for the season. Nate Jenkins and Hunter Schilperoort came in relief but could not stop the Hawks' offense.

On the other side, Ryley Widell pitched a complete game for the Hawks, going nine innings and giving up two earned runs on eight hits. He struck out three batters and walked two, earning the win and improving his record to 4-2.