5th Inning Rally Leads Mustangs Past PaddleHeads
May 24, 2025 - Pioneer League (PL)
Missoula PaddleHeads News Release
BILLINGS, MT - Friday's contest between the Billings Mustangs, and Missoula PaddleHeads would begin quietly on both sides as both teams would not score a run through the first 2 innings at Dehler Park. The lead would then exchange hands in the innings that followed as both teams would throw counter punches. The PaddleHeds would open the 5th inning leading in the contest. However, the Mustang would threaten in the bottom half with 2 runners reaching base to start the inning. Missoula would then record outs to consecutive batters looking to escape the jam unscathed. Outnumber 3 for the PaddleHeads would prove to be the allusive one however in a 2-out 5th inning rally.
All 7-runs scored in the bottom of the 5th for the Mustangs would come with 2-outs recorded as Billings took a 6-run lead in the frame. The Mustangs offense continued to put the pressure on throughout the contest, loading the bases in 4 consecutive innings from the 4th through the 7th.
Despite the offensive fireworks, Missoula would not go away scoring runs themselves in 5 straight innings to put pressure on all the way to the finish line. The 5th inning ambush would prove to be the key moment of the contest in the end however as Billings evened the 6-game series in a 13-9 victory.
The Mustangs offense got on the board first thanks to the man that led the offense throughout the series in right fielder Briley Knight. The native of Australia would kick off a great night at the plate with an RBI single in the 3rd inning to give the Mustangs their first lead. Knight would just be heating up.
Missoula would score runs with 2-outs in the 4th, and 5th innings to bring themselves to their only lead in the contest. A 2-out single from Mike Rosario would give the PaddleHeads a 3-2 advantage in the 5th to bring home both Alec Sanchez, and Colby Wilkerson. Rosario tallied 2 hits or more in his 3rd straight game finishing 2-for-3 Friday. Wilkerson also had a solid night reaching base 4 times finishing 2-for-2 with 2 runs scored. The Mustangs however would ensure the Missoula lead would be short lived in the bottom of the 5th.
A 2-run triple from 2nd baseman Jack O'Dowd would get the 2-out rally started for Billings bringing them back to the lead at 4-3. After an RBI single from 1st baseman Jacob Kline, leadoff man A.J. Shaver would attack the first pitch he saw with the bases loaded launching a grand slam to punctuate the rally. When it was all said and done, Billings would lead by a score of 9-3.
Shaver would also score a pair of runs as part of a 3-for-6 night at the plate. Despite absorbing this punch, Missoula would fight the rest of the way to get back within striking distance.
The PaddleHeads would score 9 runs from the 4th through the 8th in consecutive innings to trim into the Mustangs lead. 3 home runs would do a lot of the damage in those innings. Colin Gordon would hit a home run in his 2nd consecutive contest in the 6th to get this run started making the score 9-4. Gordon would wrap up his night 2-for-4. Missoula's biggest bat through the first 4 games of the season would then also get it rolling.
Roberto Pena would bring his early season home run total to 4 hitting 2 home runs on Friday night to keep the PaddleHeads in the game. The 2nd year PaddleHead would homer in the 7th, and 8th innings to bring 4 runs home for Missoula. As a result, the PaddleHeads cut the Mustangs lead to 12-9 in the 8th.
Pena finished the night Friday 3-for-4 with 4 RBIs and 3 runs scored Friday. Pena has 9 RBIs overall in his 1st 4 games having knocked in a run in every game he has played. The former Wildcat also holds a .471 batting average to this point. His 4 long balls to this point is also tops in the Pioneer League at this early stage of the season. Thanks to some insurance from Knight however, Billings was able to hang on for the win in the late innings.
Knight would strike once again for the Mustangs to bring the final run of the night home on an RBI single in the 8th to give the home team a 4-run cushion. The 2nd-year Mustang enjoyed a 3-for-3 night at the plate with 3 runs scored and 2 RBIs. Knight has been on fire offensively so far in the first 4-games of series holding a .615 batting average in 18 plate appearances. Thanks in large part to his performance Friday, this series is once again knotted up heading to game 5.
After 2 consecutive victories for Missoula (2-2), it will now take 2 more wins over the weekend to claim a series victory in action against the Mustangs (2-2). The final night game of this 6-game slate Saturday will feature another PaddleHeads debut as Matthew Sox will take the ball for the 1st time for Missoula. Action from Dehler Park gets rolling with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch.
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