Mustangs Win Thriller Over Glacier 10-7

BILLINGS-Abraham Mow crushed a tie-breaking three-run homer in the seventh inning and the Billings Mustangs outlasted the Glacier Range Riders 10-7 in a back-and-forth affair in front of 3,128 at Dehler Park on Friday night.

In front of the second-largest Dehler Park crowd of the season, the Mustangs rallied from three runs down to match a stadium record with their eighth home win against Glacier this season.

After both teams went down in order in the first, Glacier put together a rally against Billings starter Elijah Gill. After a single and a walk opened the inning, Livingston Morris swatted a line drive the other way that cleared the right field wall for a three-run homer, staking Glacier to a 3-0 lead.

Glacier threatened to score more as two singles and two steals put two in scoring position with no outs in the third. However, Gill emerged scot-free thanks to a groundout to the mound and a pair of strikeouts to keep it 3-0.

Billings then went to work with two outs against Glacier starter Austin Stout. A two-out double from Crews Taylor and a walk brought Jackson Raper to the plate. On the second pitch of the at-bat, Raper ripped a two-run double off the base of the wall in right-center, bringing the Mustangs within a run.

In the fifth, Billings pulled ahead. Two singles and an error put two men in scoring position with one out. On ball four to Raper, a wild pitch allowed Jordan Barth to scamper home, tying the game. Gabe Wurtz followed by lofting a sacrifice fly to center to put the Mustangs on top. After an error, Andrew Fernandez and Brian Parreira followed with RBI singles, putting the Mustangs up 6-3 after a four-run frame.

In the sixth, Glacier battled back, putting two on with no outs. Gill was lifted for Foster Pace who surrendered a sacrifice bunt, then a ground ball to bring in a run, but finished the inning in solid shape to hold a 6-4 lead.

The Mustangs promptly got that run back as Taylor walked and came all the way home on an RBI triple by Garcia into the right field corner, restoring the three-run lead.

However, the entire deficit disappeared in the seventh. A walk and single began the seventh, but two lineouts, including a diving catch from Taylor, had the Mustangs one out from escaping the jam. However, Morris singled in a run. After a pitching change, an error allowed two runs to score, tying the game.

Billings had another answer though. Jacob Kline drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a single from Fernandez. After a sacrifice bunt, Mow ambushed a first-pitch fastball and lined it over the left-field wall for a three-run homer, breaking the tie and putting the Mustangs back ahead, 10-7.

That proved to be more than enough for DePrimo, who locked down the Range Riders, retiring Glacier in order in both the eighth and ninth innings to nail down the 10-7 victory.

The two teams will travel to Kalispell to continue the series with two more contests at Flathead Field. The first contest will be on Saturday. Billings will start RHP Kelvan Pilot (5-3, 4.64) while Glacier counters with RHP Tanner Solomon (1-4, 6.61). Pregame on the home of the Mustangs, ESPN 910/105.5 FM with Brennan Mense will begin at 6:45 ahead of a 7:05 p.m. first pitch.