Mustangs Can't Escape Early Hole, Fall 11-3

BILLINGS-The Great Falls Voyagers scored six runs in the top of the third and the Mustangs could never recover as the Voyagers pulled away for an 11-3 win on Friday night at Dehler Park.

Great Falls (3-1, 30-21) won their third game in a row as the Mustang (1-3) bats could not overcome an off night on the mound.

Both teams struck in the first inning. Patrick Maybach, making his Mustangs debut, allowed a pair of walks, putting two on with two out. Michael Deeb then lined a breaking ball into left-center for an RBI single, putting Great Falls up 1-0.

Likewise, the Mustangs responded against Great Falls lefty Tyler Naumann. Crews Taylor led off with a single through the left side, then moved around to third on a wild pitch and a flyout. With two outs, Gabe Wurtz lined a single to left to bring in Taylor, tying the game at one each.

After both teams went down scoreless in the second, the bottom fell out for Maybach in the third. The Voyagers sent 12 men to the plate in the inning and stroked six hits, with the deciding blow being a three-run home run from Christopher DeGuzman. Maybach was unable to finish the inning as the lefty was on the hook for six runs in the frame, as Great Falls took a 7-1 lead.

Billings did get one back in the bottom of the third as a walk and an error put two on with one out. A wild pitch then allowed Zach Threlfall to cross the plate, cutting the deficit to 7-2.

Great Falls put the game away in the fifth with three more runs in the fifth inning against the Mustang bullpen. RBI singles by Breydon Daniel and Chris Monroe sandwiched around a balk pushed the Voyager lead to 10-2.

Eric Ezersky made his Mustang debut on the mound in the sixth and worked around a leadoff walk in a scoreless sixth. In the seventh, though, he walked two batters to begin the inning and the Mustangs sent infielder Jordan Hovey to the mound. Hovey allowed an inherited run to score, but otherwise threw a scoreless seventh.

Billings pushed across a run in the seventh, thanks in part to a Hovey single, to close the gap slightly to 11-3. Hovey then returned to the mound and worked scoreless eighth and ninth innings, working around singles in both innings.

The Mustangs, meanwhile, failed to make any further dent in the lead, and the Voyagers cruised to an 11-3 win.

The Mustangs will play game five against the Great Falls Voyagers on Thursday night. Billings' starter is still to be determined, while Great Falls will throw RHP Connor Spear (0-1, 12.41). Saturday is Christmas in July at Dehler Park featuring free Mustangs Christmas t-shirts to the first 750 fans and other prizes and giveaways throughout the game. Pregame on Saturday 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.