Early Lead Disappears in Loss to Range Riders
July 12, 2025 - Pioneer League (PL)
Billings Mustangs News Release
A night after coming from behind for a walk-off win, the Billings Mustangs (18-29) failed to hold onto the lead in an 8-7 loss to the Glacier Range Riders (17-30) on Saturday night.
It was all Mustangs early as the first two men in the bottom of the first reached on walks and then scored on a three-run homer by Tyler Shelnut, his fourth bomb of the series. RBI singles by A.J. Shaver and Briley Knight later in the inning gave the Mustangs a 5-0 lead after one.
They added a tally on a sacrifice fly by Jacob Kline in the second and another on a solo home run by Shaver in the third to take a 7-0 lead into the fourth inning. The homer for Shaver was his first since June 8.
The pendulum swung in the other direction starting in the fourth as Angel Mendoza cleared the bases with a two-out, three-run triple to make it 7-3 Mustangs.
Another three-spot in the fifth made it a one run game and knocked the starter Daniel Foster out of the game.
The Mustangs continued to hold onto their one run advantage for a couple of innings, but could not find a way to bring any additional runs home, despite leaving at least one man on base in every inning.
The Range Riders completed the comeback in the top of the eighth inning. After T.J. Clarkson led off the inning with a single against C.J. Colyer, he came around to score the tying run one batter later on a Kingston Liniak RBI triple.
That drew the infield in with a runner at third and nobody out in a 7-7 ballgame. Kenny Levari hit a fly ball to shallow center for the first out, but not deep enough to allow Liniak to come home.
Mendoza then drew an intentional walk after new pitcher Cole Chimenti fell behind 3-0.
That set up Jack Lynch who swung at the first pitch he saw and hit it in the air to right. Briley Knight made the catch and a strong throw to the plate, but Liniak was able to step on the dish just ahead of the tag in a bang-bang play to give the Range Riders their first lead of the game.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Mustangs put the tying run in scoring position after Cameron Bowen pinch hit and made it all the way to second on a throwing error by Levari that went out of play.
Glacier closer Rayne Supple induced another ground ball to Levari that he made the play on to retire Shaver for the second out and then Knight broke his bat on a bouncer back to Supple on the mound to end the game.
Jacob Hasty (1-1) picked up the win out of the bullpen for Glacier as Colyer (0-1) suffered the loss and Supple (3) earned the save.
The Mustangs and Range Riders wrap up the six-game series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 PM MT.
Pioneer League Stories from July 12, 2025
- Early Lead Disappears in Loss to Range Riders - Billings Mustangs
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