Gutierrez’s five-hit night powers Mustangs over Range Riders

Jacob Gutierrez had a perfect night at the plate, going 5 for 5 as the Billings Mustangs defeated the Glacier Range Riders 11-1 in Pioneer League action Thursday night at Glacier Bank Park. 

Billings (43-13, 7-2 second half) wasted little time getting on the board, scoring in the first inning before Pat Mills launched a two-run home run in the third to stretch the lead to 3-0, his eighth longball of the season. The Mustangs added two more runs in the fourth to take a 5-0 advantage. 

Glacier (31-26, 2-7) got its lone run in the bottom of the fourth when Kyle Ashworth singled to left, scoring Jacob Steele after Steele doubled to lead off the inning. Ashworth finished 2 for 3 to lead the Range Riders, while Jake Millan also doubled. 

The Mustangs pulled away late, scoring two runs in the seventh, three in the eighth and another in the ninth. Charlie Muniz finished with three RBIs, while Mills and Gutierrez each drove in two runs. Bodee Wright added three hits. 

Billings    102    200    231    -    11    15    0 

Glacier    000    100    000    -    1    5    1 

Jaden Harris, Hayden Mullins (6), JJ Almeda (7), Carlos Anziani (8), Lucas Hartman (9), and Charlie Muniz. Zach Longmore, Gavin Johnston (7), Evan Langston (8), and Johnny Luetzow. 

BILLINGS MUSTANGS — Cameron Bowen 0-5, Nin Burns II 2-6, Jacob Gutierrez 5-5, Muniz 2-5, Sean Lynch 0-2, Pat Mills 1-5, John McHenry 1-4, Bodee Wright 3-4, AJ Shaver 1-4. 

GLACIER RANGE RIDERS — Kyle Ashworth 2-3, Jake Millan 1-4, Carson Garner 0-4, Brock Vradenburg 1-3, Tommy Rover 0-3, Jacob Steele 1-3, Logan Beard 0-3, Andrew Collins 0-4, Luetzow 0-4. 

2B — Muniz. Millan, Steele. 3B — Wright. HR — Mills (8). RBIs — Muniz 3, Mills 2, Gutierrez 2, Bowen, McHenry, Lynch, Shaver. Ashworth