Mustangs Let Large Lead Slip Away in Loss to Chukars
May 31, 2025 - Pioneer League (PL)
Billings Mustangs News Release
The offense scored early for the Billings Mustangs (3-7), but they could not hold on as they fell 12-11 to the Idaho Falls Chukars (8-2) on Friday night at Melaleuca Field.
The Mustangs scored three runs on four hits in the top of the first inning to jump out to an early lead, with Dylan Leach and Jack O?Dowd providing RBI singles and Evan Berkey bringing a run home on a sacrifice fly.
Control was an issue for starting pitcher Justin Fuson in the bottom of the opening frame though, as three walks loaded the bases with two outs. Grady Morgan then flipped the score with one swing as he hit a grand slam to give the Chukars after an inning.
That lead would not last long for Idaho Falls as Billings teed off of Chukars starter Nathan Hemmerling with four homeruns in the second inning. A.J. Shaver hit a two-run shot and Leach, Patrick Mills and O?Dowd each had a solo homer of their own as the Mustangs scored five runs to take an 8-4 lead in the second.
Two more runs came across for the Mustangs in the second on a two-run double from Leach, his third hit of the game, to make it a 10-4 game. That?s when the Chukars offense woke up. After a Chukars run in the bottom of the fourth was answered by a Mustangs run in the fifth, Idaho Falls went on to then score seven unanswered runs to pull off the comeback.
Three runs came home in the fifth inning and then with a run already home in the sixth, Jacob Shanks hit a game-tying two-run homer off of Dieterich Guertzgen to tie the game 11-11.
Both teams went down in order in the seventh inning and the Mustangs stranded the go-ahead run at second in the top of the eighth.
Anthony Mata led off the bottom of the eighth with a single off of Chris Hardin and after stealing second and advancing to third on a groundout, the go-ahead run was at third base with one out. That brought the infield in to try and prevent the run, but Johnny Pappas ripped a groundball past a diving Jacob Kline at third to give the Chukars a 12-11 lead.
Billings went down in order in the ninth to drop their third game of the series through the first four.
Rickey Tibbett (1-0) earned the win after recording the last out of the eighth inning and working the perfect ninth. Chris Hardin (0-1) suffered the loss.
The Mustangs will look to get back in the win column on Saturday afternoon for game five of the six-game series against the Chukars. First pitch is scheduled for 2 pm MT.
Tune in to every play all season long on the home of Mustangs baseball, ESPN Billings.
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