Mustangs Ride Huge 6th to 16-2 Win in Series Opener

GREELEY-Gabe Wurtz and Brian Parreira homered and the Billings Mustangs scored 11 runs in the sixth inning to blow open a tight game as the Mustangs rolled to a 16-2 victory in the series opener against the Northern Colorado Owlz on Tuesday afternoon at Jackson Field in Greeley, Colorado.

Billings (4-3, 29-24) won their third in a row as they improved to 3-0 this season against Northern Colorado (2-4, 19-32), while the Mustangs scored their most runs in a game in over a month.

Northern Colorado got off to a fast start against Mustang starter Kelvan Pilot, with a single and a hit batter putting two with no outs. However, Mason Dinesen snagged a liner and tagged second for an unassisted double play, but in an attempt at a triple play, he overthrew first base, allowing that runner to advance to second. One pitch later, Kevin Higgins dunked a pitch into right-center for an RBI single, putting the Owlz up 1-0.

In the first three innings, the Mustangs struggled to do much against NoCo lefty Will Buraconak, but in the fourth they drew even. Mason Dinesen legged out an infield single then came all the way home on a Gabe Wurtz triple to right-center, tying the game at one apiece.

The Owlz, though, answered with another unearned run in the fourth. After a leadoff single, Ty Lewis ripped a single to left, but the ball eluded Wurtz and went to the wall, scoring a run to put NoCo back in front, 2-1.

The Mustangs, though came back with a vengeance. In the fifth, Billings strung together three hits, though two errors at third base bookended the rally, and the Mustangs scored three unearned runs to take a 4-2 lead.

In the sixth, the Mustangs unleased an avalanche. In the inning, Billing sent 15 men to the plate and scored a season-high 11 runs in the frame. Among other occurrences, Jordan Barth had two hits, Brian Parreira ripped a three-run homer, his fifth of the season, and Abraham Mow recorded his first RBI in a Mustang uniform with an RBI double.

Crews Taylor had a pair of big blows in the inning as well, ripping a two-run double before finishing off the rally with an RBI triple to right-center. When the dust settled, the Mustangs led 15-2.

In the seventh, Wurtz provided one more big hit for the road as he launched a solo homer to left-center to make the score 16-2, connecting for his 13^th homer of the season.

Pilot went 6.0 innings and tied a season high with eight strikeouts while Darrien Ragins, Eric Ezersky, and Yasnier Laureano all threw scoreless innings in relief to nail down the 16-2 victory.

The Mustangs will play game two in Greeley against the Northern Colorado on Wednesday afternoon. Billings will start RHP Kenny Serwa (0-0, 0.60), while the Owlz counter with RHP Preston Snavely (0-2, 5.21). Wednesday on Tuesday on the home of the Mustangs, ESPN 910/105.5 FM with Brennan Mense will begin at 3:45 ahead of a 4:05 p.m. first pitch.