Over a Dozen Hits Not Enough; Mustangs Drop Fifth Straight

Base hits came in bunches for both teams as the Mustangs fall to the Paddleheads 15-5.

Missoula (7-4) picked up 15 runs on 23 hits Saturday evening, while the Mustangs (3-8) scored five runs on 14 hits.

Right-hander Trevor Jackson (L, 1-1) received the starting nod and it didn't take long for the Paddleheads to start racking up the knocks. In the bottom of the first, Patrick Chung, Thomas DeBonville, and Cameron Thompson all picked up base hits to take a 3-0 lead.

In the 2nd, McLain O'Conner, Chung, DeBonville, Jake Guenther, and Keaton Greenwalt all picked up base hits in a five-run frame.

The Mustangs, despite hits in each of the first four innings, did not bring any runners home until the top of the 5th. Led off by catcher Jared Fry's single to right, Taylor Lomack reached on a fielding error by Missoula's Thompson. Mitch Moralez singled, picking up his third multi-hit game of the season, to load the bases. Then designated hitter Casey Harford doubled off the left-field wall to score Fry and Lomack. Next batter, and third-baseman Tyler Wilber hit a single to score Moralez and Harford and make it 9-4.

The Mustangs would not score again until the top of the 8th, when first-baseman Bryce Donovan hit a solo home run to left to cut the Missoula lead to 12-5.

Jackson did pick up a season-high six strikeouts on the evening. Keagan McGinnis showed his velocity in relief, as the right-hander pitched two innings, giving up one run on three hits, a walk and he punched out three hitters.

Left-hander Cam Tullar relieved McGinnis in the 7th, and tossed two innings giving up five runs on eight hits, and struck out two hitters.

Paddlehead right-hander Austin Dill picked up the win (2-0).

With a single by Moralez in the first, the second-baseman extended his hitting streak to six games, while Harford's double began a streak of three games. Wilber's 2-4 night gives him his third multi-hit night of the season, joining Moralez and Edie who also have three multi-hit games.

Bryce Donovan, who went 2-4, extended his hitting streak to six games with a single in the 6th, and his home run gave him his second multi-hit game of the season.

Jared Fry went 2-4, giving him both his first base hit of the season and his first multi-hit game of 2023.

Luke Fennely also picked up two hits to give him two multi-hit games on the season.

The Mustangs attempt to salvage the series against the Paddleheads at 2:05 p.m. Sunday, pre-game starting at 1:45 on ESPN 910/105.5 FM or espn910.com. You can also watch every pitch on FloSports.