Mustangs Rally and Hold Off Hawks 4-2

BILLINGS-Jackson Raper hit a go-ahead bases-loaded triple in the sixth inning and Hunter DePrimo locked down a six-out save in his professional debut as the Billings Mustangs defeated the Boise Hawks 4-2 on Wednesday night in front of a season-high 2,309 fans at Dehler Park.

Billings (12-11) evened up the series as Boise (10-15) stranded 12 baserunners, including eight in the final three innings.

After both teams failed to score in the first, Boise struck first against Mustang starter Elijah Gill. Leading off the inning, Raymond Gil turned around a 1-0 pitch and launched it over the batter's eye in dead center field, putting Boise up 1-0.

After that score, both pitchers locked down. The Mustangs had a leadoff runner at second in both the second and fifth innings, in addition to a leadoff single in the fourth, but in all three instances, Boise starter Gavin Gorrell retired the next three batters to keep Billings off the board.

Gill was lifted with one out in the sixth in favor of Kelvan Pilot who retired the last two hitters of the inning. The Mustangs then went to work against Gorrell, loading the bases on a single, walk, and an error, which extended the inning. With two outs, Jackson Raper ripped a three-run triple to the gap in deep left-center, giving the Mustangs their first lead, 3-1.

In the seventh, Boise struck back against Pilot, turning a leadoff walk into a run. However, the Mustangs got it back as a leadoff walk, a sacrifice, a single from Crews Taylor, and an RBI single from Jordan Hovey pushed the lead back to two runs.

In the eighth, Hunter DePrimo entered the game to make his professional debut and promptly surrendered a leadoff double and a two-out walk. However, he buckled down with a strikeout and got a sliding catch on a liner from first baseman Bryce Jackson to end the inning.

In the ninth, DePrimo stayed in, but surrendered a leadoff bloop double and an infield single. However, he induced a pop-up, a flyout to right, then got more great defense as Mason Dinesen made a barehanded pickup of a slow roller to short and made the play at first just in time to end the game, a 4-2 Mustangs win.

Game three between the Mustangs and Hawks will take place on Wednesday evening. RHP Sean Kiley Gill (0-0, 3.38) goes for the Mustangs while Boise counters with RHP Ian Kahaloa (1-1, 5.18). Pregame tomorrow will begin at 6:15 p.m. on ESPN 910/105.5 with Brennan Mense on the call ahead of a 6:35 first pitch at Dehler Park