Playoffs? PLAYOFFS!
Mustangs punch their ticket to postseason with 7-6 win over Northern Colorado.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Billings Mustangs
|
0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 11 | 0 |
|
Northern Colorado Owlz
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 16 | 2 |
The Mustangs are going to the playoffs after defeating the Northern Colorado Owlz 7-6.
If you want playoff tickets, they go on sale starting at noon Sunday. You can place orders over the phone at 406-252-1241, at the box office, or online at billingsmustangs.com.
Brandon McPherson earns the win tossing six innings giving up three runs on eight hits with a walk and two strikeouts - his first quality start of the season.
Hunter Schilperoort earned the save with a big 2-2 strikeout with two outs to send the Mustangs to the playoffs.
The Owlz jumped ahead in the first with four consecutive one-out singles scoring one run with an RBI double by Jackson Couts, and the Mustangs trailed 3-0 after the first.
The Mustangs picked up an RBI single from Taylor Lomack in the third, with a game-tying homer by John Michael Faile. It's the second game in a row Faile hit game-tying homers, and the fifth time this season he hit homers in back-to-back games.
Brendan Ryan led off the fourth with a first pitch homer pulled over the right field wall to go up 4-3. The Mustangs loaded the bases, and John Michael Faile took a 3-2 pitch low for ball four and walked home Mitch Moralez to go up 5-3.
Brandon McPherson, after John Michael Faile threw out Dave Matthews for the second time in the third, and picked off Abdel Guadalupe, sent down 10 hitters in a row from the end of the third through the sixth.
The Mustangs added a run after a Gabe Wurtz leadoff double and a single by Alejandro Figueredo, with a sac bunt RBI by Brendan Ryan to score Wurtz to go up 6-3.
The Owlz picked up a pair of runs in the seventh, with back to back singles by Guadalupe and Euro Diaz, Jordan Rathbone picked up a 2-RBI double to make it a one-run game. McLain Harris entered the game and sent down the next three batters to preserve the lead.
The Mustangs earned an insurance run in the ninth on a leadoff double by Faile, and a 3-1 walk to Wurtz. With one out, Brendan Ryan reached on a fielder's choice by beating out a relay throw to avoid the double play, and Wurtz scored to make it 7-5.
The Owlz made it interesting in the ninth. A one-out single by Nick Michaels, and a single by Estevan De La O. Matthews brought home Michaels on an RBI single with two boots, and Schilperoort struck out Guadalupe to end the ballgame.
The Mustangs host the Missoula Paddleheads for game one of a best of three playoff series Monday, September 11th. Coverage starts at 6:15 p.m. with first pitch at 6:35 p.m. on ESPN 910/105.5 KBLG or ESPN910.com. You can also watch all the action on FloSports.