Mustangs Claim North Division Second-Half Title, Clinch Last Playoff Spot

Billings' impressive second-half campaign ended with the North Division title, after a historic 15-game winning streak and a tense final week of games. The clinching game was a nerve-racking contest at Northern Colorado with an early start. The Owlz managed to build an early 3-0 lead in the first inning, before Billings scored five runs in the top of the third and the fourth, helped by homers from John Michael Faile and Brendan Ryan. Ryan would bring another runner in in the top of the seventh and reach on a fielder's choice that gave him his third RBI of the day to put the visitors in front in the top of the ninth. The Owlz would threaten the lead in the bottom of the inning, as Dave Matthews hit an RBI single to bring the scoreboard to 7-6, just before Hunter Schilperoort dramatically struck out one of the best Owlz's best hitters in Abdel Guadalupe, who had a runner in scoring position, to guarantee the win and the division title. Billings ended the second half atop the North Division with a 32-16 record, a half-game above Missoula, and had an overall record of 51-45, third best in the North and in the PBL. Northern Colorado finished the Second Half on 23-25, five games below Rocky Mountain in the South, with an overall record of 46-49, fourth in the South and seventh in the PBL. The Mustangs host the PaddleHeads for the first game in the North Division playoff Monday, September 11, 6:35 PM at Dehler Park. 

Grand Junction 15, Rocky Mountain 11: Jackalopes Win Last Game of Season, Vibes Now Focus on Playoffs 

An entertaining game took place in Colorado Springs on Saturday, as Grand Junction had the last say in the weekly series that saw Rocky Mountain clinch the South Division second-half title and a playoff spot on Thursday. The Jacks hit the ground running and were powered by an Andrew Meggs homer and four hits by Ron Washington Jr., building a 10-1 by the top fifth, before the Vibes scored 10 runs in two consecutive innings to tie the game at 11. Grand junction would then strike again, with a couple of singles in the top of the eighth to restore their lead and guarantee the win. Joe Johnson scored his 117th run of the season, breaking Jakob Goldfarb's single-season record from 2021. Rocky Mountain won the Second Half South Division with a 28-20 record, three games above the Jackalopes, ending the overall standings on 48-47, third in the South and sixth in the PBL. Grand Junction went 25-23 in the Half, and 45-51 overall, fifth in the South and eighth in the PBL. The Vibes will for the first time ever play in the PBL postseason, as they host the Raptors on Monday, September 11, at 6:35 PM from UCHealth Park to begin the South Division playoffs.  

Missoula 13, Glacier 3: Missoula Takes Win to End Season, Finishes with Best Overall Record in PBL 

Missoula had the best overall record in the PBL for the second season in a row, and a win on Saturday was the final win of an impressive regular season campaign. The PaddleHeads scored first, but a Ben Huber homer in the top of the second would help Glacier take the lead. The following inning saw the PaddleHeads rout the Range Riders, scoring seven runs to put the game beyond reach, and the home team kept adding numbers to the scoreboard. Billings' win earlier in the day had already resulted in Missoula losing our on the North Division Second Half title, but they now have the chance to get revenge on the playoffs. The PaddleHeads finished second in the North Division Second Half standings at 31-16, a half-game behind Billings, but had the best overall record in the PBL at 66-29, 12.5 games above Glacier, who ended the half third in the North at 23-27, and second overall in the PBL at 54-42. The PaddleHeads will try to keep the momentum going as they begin the North divisional playoffs at 6:35 PM on Monday in Billings. 

Ogden 10, Idaho Falls 9: Raptors Ride into the Postseason on Five-Game Winning Streak 

The Raptors needed four home runs to beat the Chukars on Saturday and end their season on a five-game winning streak going into the South Division playoffs next week. Reese Alexiades and Landen Barns homered right on the top of the first to give Ogden a 3-0 lead, before Tyler Wyatt hit a three-run home in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game. The Chukars would build a 5-3 lead that would be first erased and then surpassed by another couple of homers in the top of the fifth, once again by Alexiades and later by Jonathan Soto. For Alexiades, it was his league-leading 29th long ball of the season. Michael Kohn homered in the bottom of the same inning to bring the Chukars within range, but a sacrifice fly by Soto would bring the insurance run that would ultimately prove to be the difference-maker. Ogden ended the season with the First Half South Division title, and an overall record of 50-46, best in the South and fourth in the PBL, while finishing the Second Half last in the South standings, at 18-29. Idaho Falls also ended the Second Half on 18-29, but had an overall record of 34-61, last in the PBL. The Raptors now travel to Colorado Springs, where they will try to keep the winning streak going into the postseason as the South Divisional Round against the Vibes starts on Monday at 6:35 PM. 

Boise 8, Great Falls 5  

Boise 7, Great Falls 3: Hawks Take Doubleheader, Sweep Voyagers and End Season on Four-Game Winning Streak  

A postponement on Friday caused a doubleheader on Saturday for the only games of the day without teams involved in the postseason, but the Hawks did not disappoint and took two wins to end their season on a high note. The first game saw a good effort by first baseman Alex Baeza, whose first of three hits of the game was a home run to put numbers on the scoreboard. Rene Mendoza also homered for the Hawks, while Jaylyn Williams got his team-leading 12th homer of the year for the Voyagers in the bottom of the fifth. The second game was under control for Boise by the top of the third, when the Hawks scored five runs, including a homer from Raymond Gil. Brayden Spears recorded his ninth win of the season after five innings and six strikeouts. Boise had a 21-27 record, fourth in the South, in a tough second half, but finishing the season in second place in the overall South Division standings at 49-47, fifth best in the PBL. Great Falls completed the Half 21-29 in the North, also in the fourth place, with an overall record of 35-61, only above Idaho Falls.