BILLINGS — John McHenry hit a first-inning grand slam and the Billings Mustangs built a big lead on the way to a 14-11 Game 2 victory over Long Beach to sweep the Pioneer Baseball League championship series Friday night at Dehler Park.
McHenry's shot to left field gave Billings a five-run lead. The advantage eventually stretched as far as 9-0 in the third inning which, despite separate rallies, was too much for Long Beach to overcome.
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It is Billings' first PBL championship since the league lost its major league affiliation and went independent as an MLB partner league in 2021.
Adam Cootway also homered for Billings, a three-run shot over the center field wall that put the Mustangs ahead 12-7 in the sixth and proved crucial to the final outcome. Long Beach scored seven runs in the top of the sixth to cut into its deficit, highlighted by a two-run double by Emilio Corona and a two-run home run by Jacob Jablonski.
Bodee Wright's run-scoring double in the sixth and Kyle Hvidsten's RBI single in the seventh gave the Mustangs the cushioned they'd need after Cuba Bess and Spence Coffman each hit solo home runs for the Coast in the top of the ninth.
