Owlz KO Mustangs 12-11

The Mustangs had two separate nine-run leads, but fall to the Northern Colorado Owlz in the first knockout round of the Mustangs season 12-11. 

Starting right-hander for Billings (16-19) Luke Trueman tossed seven innings, six scoreless, in a quality start, giving up just two runs on five its and a walk while recording one strikeout. 

Over that time, the Mustangs built a 9-0 lead over the Owlz. In the first, designated hitter Mitch Moralez tripled to bring up second-baseman Connor Denning who doubled Moralez home. Left-fielder Gabe Wurtz singled to advance Denning to third, and third-baseman Tyler Wilber hit a sac-fly to center to score Denning and make it 2-0.

With runners at second and third, Gabe Wurtz scored on a passed ball in the third. With runners on first and second and two outs, catcher John Michael Faile hit his first professional home run to make it 6-0. 

With one out in the fourth, Wurtz hit his fourth homer of the year to make it 7-0. Mustangs would score in each of the next four innings on an RBI single by first-baseman Jason Ajamian in the fifth, a solo lead-off home run by Connor Denning in the sixth, a second home run for Faile to lead off the seventh, and a two out solo home run by Luke Fennely in the eighth, which made it 11-2.

The Owlz gave the Mustangs a nightmare inning in the eighth. With Trueman exiting the game, right-hander Keagan McGinnis surrendered six hits, including three home runs, to bring the Owlz back within two to make the score 11-9. The Owlz had a solo home run by second-baseman Kevin Jimenez, a two-run home run by right-fielder Euro Diaz, and a three run home run by first-baseman Dave Matthews. 

Right-hander McLain Harris escaped the inning for the Mustangs tossing one inning one run on two hits. 

Left-hander Hunter Schilperoort attempted to notch his second save in as many games, but put a runner on with a single by designated hitter Jackson Coutts with two outs, to bring Matthews to the dish and he homered for the second time in as many appearances to tie it at 11 - sending the game to a knockout round. 

The Mustangs chose Wurtz as the home run hitter, and he came two feet short of exiting on the right field wall. He did not hit a home run. The Owlz chose Matthews, and on the fourth pitch, he slammed one out to give the Owlz the come-from-behind win. 

The Mustangs try for the first road series win in a rubber match against the Northern Colorado Owlz at 1:05 p.m. Sunday with pre-game coverage at 12:45 p.m. on ESPN910/105.5 FM or espn910.com. You can also watch every pitch on FloSports.