Boise Knocks out BillingsÃâÃÂ
Published on July 25, 2021 under Pioneer League (PL)
Boise Hawks News Release
Billings, MT - The Boise Hawks capped off a thrilling comeback with a wild Knockout Round victory to defeat the Billings Mustangs by a final score of 4-3 at Dehler Park on Saturday night.
It was another night where the Mustangs instantly took the lead, scoring a run with two-outs on a Freddy Achecar single in the bottom of the first.
Boise would take their first lead of the night in the top of the second, with Bo McClintock smacking a single to center, and getting all the way to third thanks to a pair of wild pitches during Byron Smith's at-bat, before Smith singled to right-center to tie the game at one.
Smith would end up coming in as well thanks to a Greg White RBI groundout to put the Hawks ahead 2-1.
The lead would not last long, with Billings answering the Hawks two runs with a deuce of their own in the bottom of the fifth, to retake the lead at 3-2.
Going into the top of the ninth inning the Hawks still trailed by one, and got the tying run aboard thanks to a Myles Miller pinch hit walk.
Luke Dawson grabbed a helmet and ran for Miller, coming all the way home from first base when Myles Harris smacked a ball off the wall in left center for a game-tying double bringing the teams even at three.
When Boise was unable to bring home Harris, it was up to Jared Price to keep the score tied and send it to a Knock Out round in Billings.
Price came through in the biggest of fashions, striking out the three batters he faced, making it seven straight K's for the Hawks pitching staff after Tyler Tomaka struck out four in a row, ending the seventh with a punch out and then striking out the side in the eighth.
In the first Knock Out round, neither Wladimir Galindo or Christian Sepulveda were able to hit homers, but drama occurred when Sepulveda was granted a sixth swing because of a counting error by the home plate umpire.
After taking five swings, Sepulveda stepped back in to continue hitting, as Gary Van Tol and the entire Boise Hawks dugout argued that he should be done, but he was granted a sixth swing.
Sepulveda would end up reaching the warning track with that swing, which wouldn't get the job done and sent the sides to a second round.
Alejandro Rivero went up for the Boise Hawks and ended up taking four swings on nine pitches, meaning he had to swing at the next pitch.
Even though Van Tol threw it around Rivero's eyes, he was able to blast it onto the left-field concourse for a home run.
Tristen Carranza followed for Billing and laced four swings foul, with enough distance to clear the wall on all of them.
On swing number five Carranza hit the furthest ball of the night, launching it high into the Billings night sky on a line heading for the foul pole in left field.
As it cleared the wall everyone's gaze shifted to the field umpire who was standing next to the wall and signaling that the ball was foul.
The Boise dugout erupted, and Billings tried to argue that Carranza had only taken four swings, but this time the home plate umpire was on top of the numbers and indicated that the Hawks had won.
With the victory Boise snapped their three game skid and won their first Knock Out round this season after losing the three previous ones they had participated in.
Boise will return to Dehler Park tomorrow to try and start a winning streak of their own, with first pitch for the Sunday matinee scheduled for 1:05 in Billings, and Jake McDonald on the bump for the Hawks.
Pioneer League Stories from July 25, 2021
- Fisher & O'Conner Lead the Way in Win over Voyagers - Missoula PaddleHeads
- Hawks Unable to Match Mustangs Late Surge - Boise Hawks
- Mustangs Clinch Series with 11-5 Victory - Billings Mustangs
- Boise Knocks out BillingsÃâà- Boise Hawks
- Simon Closes Door Down the Stretch in Victory over Voyagers - Missoula PaddleHeads
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