Pioneer League: Mustangs shut out Riders

BILLINGS — Crews Taylor homered to lead off the game for the Billings Mustangs, who pushed across three runs in the fifth inning to take command of a 6-0 Pioneer League win over Glacier Wednesday.

After Taylor hit his 12th home run of the season, Billings (7-7 this half) added two runs in the second when Andrew Fernandez doubled in one run, then scored on Bryce Jackson’s single.

In the sixth inning Jalen Garcia hit a two-run single, moved to second on a bad throw, stole third and scored on a groundout for a 6-0 lead.

Glacier fell to 4-10 this half despite out-hitting the Mustangs 8-7, including six hits off Billings starter Patrick Maybach. Ben McConnell, Brody Wofford and Eddie McCabe each had two hits, and McCabe had a double. Wofford was the only Range Rider to reach third base, doing it twice.

Rob Hamby took the loss, allowing seven hits and a walk in five innings. He struck out five. Dawson Day and Isaiah Henry provided three hitless innings for the Range Riders.

The teams play again Thursday and Friday at Dehler Park, then play two games at Flathead Field Saturday and Sunday.

Range Riders 000 000 000 - 0 8 2

Mustangs 120 030 00x - 6 7 2

Rob Hamby, Dawson Day (6), Isaiah Henry (8) and Austin Bates, Justin Mazzone. Patrick Maybach, Foster Pace (6), Darrien Ragins (7), Al Pesto (9) and Andrew Fernandez.

W — Maybach (1-2). L — Hamby (2-2).

GLACIER RANGE RIDERS — Ben McConnell 2-5, Ryan Cash 1-3, Sam Linscott 1-4, Brody Wofford 2-4, Dean Miller 0-3, Eddie McCabe 2-4, Ryan Cole 0-4, Bates 0-1, Mazzone 0-2, Brandt Broussard 0-3.

BILLINGS MUSTANGS — Crews Taylor 2-4, Jordan Hovey 1-4, Jalen Garcia 1-4, Jackson Raper 0-4, Gabe Wurtz 0-3, Jacob Kline 0-2, Fernandez 1-4, Bryce Jackson 1-4, Jordan Barth 1-4.

2B — McCabe, Hovey, Fernandez. HR — Taylor (12). RBIs — Garcia 2, Taylor, Raper, Fernandez, Jackson. SB — Garcia. CS — McConnell.