Mustangs End First Half with 8-5 Win at Glacier

KALISPELL-Crews Taylor homered and drove in four runs while Brian Parreira reached based five times as the Billings Mustangs defeated the Glacier Range Riders 8-5 in the first half finale on Sunday at Flathead Field in Kalispell.

Billings (25-21) dropped the seven-game series to Glacier (17-30) four games to three, but finished off the first half with back-to-back wins.

Glacier took the lead right away in the first inning. On the two pitches from Mustang starter Yasnier Laureano, Ben McConnell and Ryan Cash both lined neartly identical doubles down the third base line, putting Glacier ahead 1-0.

In the second, though, the Mustangs pulled ahead with a two-out rally against Glacier starter Kevin Kyle. With two outs and a man at first, Parreira doubled to deep right-center to bring in the first tally. Two batters later, Jalen Garcia followed with an RBI single. Taylor then finished off the rally with an RBI double off the left-field wall, staking Billings to a 3-1 lead.

The lead grew in the fourth as Parreira drew a leadoff walk, then Garcia singled with one out. Taylor struck again, this time lining a pitch from Kyle over the left-field fence for a three-run homer, putting the Mustangs ahead 6-1.

In the bottom of the fourth, though, Laureano ran into trouble again. He allowed three hits and a walk to the first five batters, only recording one out. With two runs in and runners on the corners, Darrien Ragins entered the game and proceeded to pick Brian Williams off for the second out before inducing an inning-ending groundout, keeping the score 6-3, Mustangs.

The middle innings featured no more scoring, though some fireworks occurred in the top of the fifth inning when Glacier manager Nick Hogan was ejected, the second time he's been tossed against Billings this season.

In the sixth, Glacier threatened against Ragins as a walk, hit batter, and single loaded the bases with one out. However, Ragins induced a pop-up and groundout to end the threat with no runs scored, finishing off 2.2 scoreless innings from the lefty, who earned the win.

However, Glacier drew closer against Foster Pace in the seventh. Cash singled and Sam Linscott doubled to put two on with no outs. After a groundout, an error led one run to score. A fielder's choice then brought in a second run, this one unearned, to close the gap to 6-5.

In the eighth, though, the Mustangs responded with two critical insurance runs. Glacier reliever Justin Solomon walked Garcia and Taylor begin the inning. With one out, they pulled off a double steal. After a strikeout, Gabe Wurtz and Bryce Jackson stroked RBI singles, pushing the lead to 8-5.

The Mustang bullpen did the rest, as Beaux Bonvillain retired all four hitters he faced and Kelvan Pilot came on and threw a scoreless ninth, earning his first professional save.

The Mustangs will have Monday off before beginning the second half of the season on Tuesday, as Billings welcomes in the Great Falls Voyagers for a six-game series. The Mustang will start LHP Elijah Gill (1-0, 3.00) while Great Falls will throw RHP Matt Thomas (0-2, 7.50). Pregame on Tuesday on the home of the Mustangs, ESPN 910/105.5 FM with Brennan Mense will begin at 6:15 ahead of a 6:35 p.m. first pitch.