Mustangs Force Game 3 Behind Clutch Effort Late

Missoula, MT- The Missoula PaddleHeads had the Billings Mustangs at the brink of elimination on Wednesday night in Game 2 of the Pioneer League Division Series. Leading 5-4 in the top of the 9th, Missoula sent Sam Hellinger to the hill looking to close things out. With 2 outs recorded in the ninth, the PaddleHeads were one pitch away from advancing to the next round. The Mustangs however would have other ideas. 

On a 2-strike pitch, Abraham Mow would find success in the top of the 9th, lacing a single to left field to bring Home Juan Texeira to knot things up at 5 apiece. With there being no 'knockout' round in the postseason, action would then go to extra frames. In another 2-out sequence, Crews Taylor would put Billings out in front for good with a single through the right to give Billings a 6-5 lead. Behind a gutsy effort from southpaw Beaux Bovillain, Billings would then close it out in a clean 10th inning. The Northern Division Champion will now be decided by a winner take all Game 3 on Thursday night.  

Bovillain was fabulous taking the Mustangs to the finish line throwing nearly 60 pitches over 3 ⅔ innings down the stretch. The southpaw would not allow a single run over that relief stint while striking out 6. The relief appearance was by far the longest that Bovillain had made this season. But his effort proved to be a key factor allowing Billing's offense the opportunity to come through in clutch situations. 

Billings would lead for a large bulk of the action in regulation, scoring in 3 of the first 4 innings to set the tone early. Andrew Fernandez was a key factor for the second consecutive game and would get Billings rolling in the 1st. A double from Fernandez would kick off the scoring for the Mustangs in the frame to make the score 1-0. Fernandez finished the night 3-for-5 with an RBI. Fernandez is 5-for-9 with 3 RBIs in the first 2 games of the series so far. 

Jalen Garcia would widen the lead to 2 in the next half frame with a solo home run that made the score 2-0. The Mustangs would also stretch their lead out to 3 in the 6th thanks to the long ball as Jacob Kline would launch one over the wall to make the score 4-1. Garcia finished the night 2-for-5 and Kline was 3-for-5 with an RBI. 

The PaddleHeads would fight in the 7th taking their first lead of the ballgame behind a 3-run rally. Jayson Newman would hit a 2-run double in the frame that sailed past Garcia tying the game at 4. Kamron Willman would give the PaddleHeads their first lead of the night a few batters later with an RBI single to make the score 5-4. Despite delivering this big blow in the late frames, Billings would stay cool in the situation in the closing moments to force a game 3 Thursday. Willman would finish 2-for-4 in the loss. Newman would reach base 3 times in the ball game walking twice to finish 1-for-3. 

A spot in the Pioneer League Championship will be on the line on Thursday night in Missoula in the third, and deciding game between the Mustangs, and PaddleHeads. The Southern Division Series will also see Game 3 in the other side of the bracket as the Ogden Raptors were able to stave off elimination in Game 2 in a 10-6 victory over the Grand Junction Rockies. Action from Allegiance Field at Ogren Park is set to begin at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are still available at gopaddleheads.com. If you cannot make it to the stadium listen to every pitch on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.