Mustangs Close out July with Doubleheader Split
Published on August 1, 2025 under Pioneer League (PL)
Billings Mustangs News Release
The Billings Mustangs (8-7) split a doubleheader with the Great Falls Voyagers (5-10) on Thursday night at Dehler Park to close out the month of July.
In game one, the Mustangs fell behind 2-0 after a pair of unearned runs scored in the first inning. The damage could have been worse as the Voyagers had runners at the corners with only one out, but Arturo Alvarez ended the threat by starting a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning.
Billings cut the lead in half with three straight hits coming with two outs, capped by an RBI double by Briley Knight.
Tyler Shelnut made it a 2-2 ballgame with his fourteenth homerun of the year in the fifth inning and then Efrain Manzo put the Mustangs ahead with a solo shot of his own in the sixth for his first homer as a Mustang.
The Voyagers, like usual, did not go down easy as they scored twice in the top of the seventh to take a 4-3 lead.
The Mustangs tied the game up at four in the bottom half when John McHenry scored on a throwing error by shortstop Devon Dixon.
That forced a Knockout Round to settle the tie and after initial confusion over the total for Frank Podkul, it was determined that Jack O'Dowd only needed to hit one to win it for the Mustangs. He wasted no time accomplishing that as he launched a ball out over the right field wall just eight seconds into his time to give Billings the game one victory.
In the second game of the twin bill, the Voyagers again opened an early 2-0 lead, this time with a pair in the second inning.
The Mustangs knotted the game up with two runs of their own in the bottom of two, but the Voyagers answered with a five spot in the third to take a 7-2 lead.
Billings tightened it up with another two runs in the third to pull within three and then both teams added a run in the fifth.
That fifth inning could have provided more as both teams settled for just a single run each after having the bases loaded with nobody out.
The Mustangs were held off the scoreboard the rest of the way as the Voyagers managed the split.
Daniel Batcher (3-3) picked up the win for the Voyagers as Nolan Pender (3) notched the save and Sam Schmitt (1-2) suffered the loss.
Game four of the six game homestand for the Mustangs against the Voyagers is on Friday with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 PM MT.
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