Mustangs Hold off Late Voyager Rally in 9-6 Win
July 25, 2025 - Pioneer League (PL)
Billings Mustangs News Release
The Billings Mustangs (5-5) scored consistently through the middle innings and held off a late rally by the Great Falls Voyagers (3-7) in a 9-6 win on Friday night at Voyagers Stadium.
The Mustangs scored three runs in the third inning and never let go of the lead.
The Voyagers pulled within a run on a two-run homer by Antonio Barranca in the bottom of the third to make it a 3-2 game.
Billings then went on to score six unanswered runs to pull away, with one in the fourth, four in the fifth and one in the sixth.
Briley Knight hit his third homer in two games with a solo shot in the fourth for his seventh long ball of the year.
In the sixth inning, Jack O'Dowd hit his twelfth homerun of the year, but it took two trips around the bases to earn it. After sending a 2-2 pitch from Robert Kelley down the left field line and into the Voyager bullpen, the Mustangs designated hitter rounded the bases with what he thought was a solo homer. Third base umpire Connor Lindsay called it a fair ball, but after a huddle between the umpires, the call was overturned to foul. Then, like a scene out of a movie, O'Dowd dug back into the box and launched the very next pitch over the fence down the right field line for what stood as his twelfth homer.
O'Dowd's homerun gave the Mustangs a 9-2 lead, but the Voyagers refused to go away quietly as they scored a run in the sixth and another int he seventh to make it a 9-4 game.
Then in the ninth inning, Great Falls added another pair of runs to draw within three and had the bases loaded with two outs. The tying run was at first and the winning tally at the plate in Antonio Barranca, who homered earlier in the game.
The battle between Jack Maruskin and Barranca led to a full count and then the right hander on the mound induced a high pop fly off the bat of the Voyagers catcher that second baseman Evan Berkey caught to end the game.
Hudson Boncal (2-2) picked up the win for the Mustangs, while C.J. Czerwinski (1-6) suffered the loss.
The two teams square off again on Saturday night in Great Falls for Home Run Derby Night in the Pioneer League. There will be a pregame Home Run Derby starting at 6:30 PM MT, followed by game five of the series at 7 PM MT.
Pioneer League Stories from July 25, 2025
- Mustangs Hold off Late Voyager Rally in 9-6 Win - Billings Mustangs
- PaddleHeads Erase Early Deficit to Claim 6-5 Win Friday - Missoula PaddleHeads
- Harrison Throw Gems as Offense Motors to Big Win - Idaho Falls Chukars
- Seven Homers Power Mustangs to Victory - Billings Mustangs
- PaddleHeads Once Again Find Success in 'Knockout Round' - Missoula PaddleHeads
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