McRae Fantastic in 11-5 Win

Ethan McRae did not strike out a batter tonight. Yet, he pitched seven strong innings in a 11-5 Mustang win. 

McRae earns the first quality start by a Mustang starting pitcher of 2024, as well as the win. 

The Mustangs have won two in a row and move into a tie for second place in the Pioneer Baseball League Standings. 

In the first Livingston Morris benefits from an error by Blake Evans and destroys a full count fastball 115 miles per hour off the bat to make it 2-0 Voyagers.

Mitch Moralez doubles on the first pitch in the top of the second. Briley Knight drove him home on a chopper up the middle to make it 2-1. 

McRae bounced back in the bottom of the 2nd with a 1-2-3 inning.

In the bottom of the 3rd, McRae gave up a home run, but executed well and left the bases loaded to keep the Mustangs within two. 

Mustangs (3-1) had runners at the corners with one out, but Blake Evans smoked a ball into Tyler Johnson's glove at 90 miles per hour and converted a double play to escape a jam. 

McRae picked the team up with another 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fourth, headlined by a spectacular leaping throw off of a backhand by Blake Evans at shortstop. 

Taylor Lomack led off the fifth with a single, and Brendan Ryan reached on a hit by pitch. Both advanced on a passed ball, and Jason Rooks drove them home on an opposite field double to tie the game at 3. 

In the home half, McRae gave up a single to Washington, but induced a double-play ball to second as Moralez whipped the ball to second, and Evans relayed the throw to first to end the inning. 

Briley Knight led off the sixth with a single, which ended Johnson's night. Stephen Greenlees came in to the game and forced Abe Valez to fly out to right, while he hit Blake Evans with a pitch. A double steal attempt bit the Mustangs when Antonio Fernandez threw out Evans at second. Both Lomack and Ryan walked, but Rooks ripped the ball to left field where Ryan Major stood to retire the side.

McRae retired the Voyagers 1-2-3 not in order in the bottom of the sixth. He gave up a one out walk to Rojas Jr, but Gonzalez lined out to Moralez at second, who whipped a ball back to Mills at first to retire the side. 

The Mustangs rewarded McRae's hard work with four runs in the top of the seventh. Moralez hit a one-out single, with Patrick Mills checking in with a hit of his own. Knight reached on an error where he hit it down the first base line and ran into Backstrom, knocking the ball out of his glove. 

Evan Blum pinch hit for Abe Valdez, and delivered with a first pitch two run single scoring Moralez and Mills. With two outs, both Lomack and Brendan Ryan singled, and the Mustangs led 7-3. 

The Voyagers hit three doubles in the bottom of the eighth off Mustang reliever Riley Bost, but he struck out a batter and left another runner stranded at third to keep the Mustang lead preserved at 7-5. 

The Mustangs picked up four runs on a pair of hits, including a lead-off home run by Abe Valdez. Evans singled and Lomack and Ryan walked. Evans scored on a passed ball, while Lomack scored on a Rooks sacrifice fly, and Ryan scored on a Figueredo ground ball to make it 11-5. 

Trevor Jackson shut down the Voyagers again 1-2-3 for the third time in as many appearances and the Mustangs claimed the win. 

The Mustangs look for a series win at 7:00 p.m. Saturday with pre-game coverage starting at 6:40 p.m. on ESPN910/105.5 FM or ESPNbillings.com. You can also watch every pitch on FloBaseball.