Home Runs Continue to Fly, But Another Lead Blown for Mustangs
June 4, 2025 - Pioneer League (PL)
Billings Mustangs News Release
The Billings Mustangs (4-9) hit four more homeruns on Tuesday night at Dehler Park, but they could not hold off a late surge by the Northern Colorado Owlz (2-10), who came away with the win in the series opener 13-8.
The Owlz scored first, as they jumped on Mustangs starter Shane Spencer for four runs on five singles in the first inning to take an early 4-0 lead.
The Mustangs, playing as the road team at Dehler Park after the series was moved to Billings, answered right back with six runs of their own. The long balls that were coming frequently in Idaho Falls continued to fly in Billings as Jack O'Dowd and Tyler Shelnut hit back-to-back homers to begin the second. After A.J. Shaver made it a 4-3 ballgame with an RBI single, Briley Knight put the Mustangs ahead 6-4 with a three-run shot for his first homer of the season.
The teams would then exchange runs back and forth with the Owlz scoring one in the third and fifth innings, with the Mustangs answering with one in the fourth and sixth. That included the seventh homer of the season for A.J. Shaver when he took a ball out to left field to give him a homerun in four consecutive games.
Billings had an 8-6 lead entering the seventh inning, but could not close things out. T.J. Mckenzie was hit by newcomer Chip Korbacher to lead off the inning. Evan Slight then hit what looked like a double play ball, but catcher?s interference was called to instead make it runners at first and second with nobody out. After a popout by Kai Moody, Mckenzie stole third and then scored as the throw from O'Dowd ended up in left field. A walk to Matt Fabian and hit-by-pitch to Omar Veloz ended Korbacher's outing. Tariq Bacon came in with the bases loaded, one out and the Mustangs leading 8-7. He struck out Dreylin Holmes for the second out, but Gordon Richardson came through with a two-run single to give Owlz a 9-8 lead.
The Owlz scored four more runs in the eighth inning to extend their lead to 13-8 and the Mustangs could not come up with anymore offense as they dropped the series opener.
Joshua Kennedy (1-0) picked up the win for the Owlz while Korbacher (0-1) suffered the loss for the Mustangs.
The Mustangs will try again on Wednesday night against the Owlz as Arturo Alvarez (0-0) makes his Mustangs debut. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM MT.
Tune in to every Mustangs game all season long on their flagship station, ESPN Billings.
Pioneer League Stories from June 4, 2025
- Chukars Reach Ten Wins in Series Opening Triumph - Idaho Falls Chukars
- Idaho Falls Whips Jackalopes - Grand Junction Jackalopes
- Pena Belts 3 Home Runs in Win over Great Falls - Missoula PaddleHeads
- Home Runs Continue to Fly, But Another Lead Blown for Mustangs - Billings Mustangs
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