Mustangs Stifle Chukar Bats to Even Series with 5-1 Win

IDAHO FALLS-Kelvan Pilot threw a season-high 6.2 innings, Brian Parreira collected three hits and three RBI, and Beaux Bonvillain smothered the Idaho Falls offense late to polish off a 5-1 victory for the Mustangs over the Idaho Falls Chukars on Friday night at Melaleuca Field.

Billings (10-12, 35-33) evened the series by holding Idaho Falls (13-9, 40-30) to a season-low one run, as the Mustangs pitching struck out 11 batters and the offense found enough hits to overcome 15 runners left on base.

The Mustangs had a pair of opportunities to take the lead, collecting leadoff doubles in each of the first two innings. In both cases, the Mustangs had runners on third with one out, but failed to score.

In the second, the Chukars then took advantage of a Mustang miscue against Pilot. After an error with one out, Eric Callahan lined a single to center with two outs, staking the Chukars to a 1-0 lead.

In the third, though, the Mustangs took advantage of Chukar errors to take the lead. After a leadoff error by Callahan, Billings followed with two straight singles, the latter of which came from Jacob Kline to tie the game at one. Callahan followed by booting a potential double play ball which instead loaded the bases with no outs. Two batters later, Parreira took advantage with a base hit up the middle that scored two runs, putting the Mustangs ahead 3-1.

Pilot then pulled off his own escape act in the fourth. After a leadoff triple, Pilot induced a shallow fly to left and then struck out a man. After a walk, a groundout to the mound ended the inning.

An inning later, Pilot again escaped from a jam. Two singles put runners on the corners with one out. On a 1-2 pitch, though, Hunter Hisky grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, finishing off five innings of one-run ball for Pilot.

In the seventh and eighth, the Mustangs added on to the lead. Gabe Wurtz led off with a double to left in the seventh, then scored two batters later on an RBI single by Parreira, his third hit of the night. In the eighth, a two-out error let Wurtz reach. After he stole second and moved to third on an error, Andrew Fernandez singled him home, putting the Mustangs ahead 5-1.

The pitching did the rest from there. Kelvan Pilot struck out two in a 1-2-3 sixth, then recorded two outs in the seventh, departing after a season-high 6.2 innings and only one unearned run allowed with six strikeouts.

Beaux Bonvillain checked in and recorded the final out of the seventh before striking out the side in the eighth. He set down the side again in the ninth with two-more strikeouts, going seven-up, seven-down with five punchouts for his third save, nailing down a 5-1 victory.

The Mustangs play game five against the Idaho Falls Chukars on Saturday night. Billings' starter is still to be determined while Idaho Falls will counter with RHP Joe Slocum (7-4, 5.10). Pregame on Saturday 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.