Voyagers end home slate with playoff berth

GREAT FALLS, Mont. - For the seventh straight season, the Great Falls Voyagers are heading to the Pioneer League playoffs. Friday night, the Voyagers wrapped up a postseason berth with an 8-7 win over the Billings Mustangs. Great Falls is now 41-26 overall with nine games to go, and they will play Helena in a best of three series to determine the North Division representative for the 2013 League Championship.

Tied at four, the Voyagers were soon propelled by a four-run sixth inning that gave them the lead for good. Zach Voight led off the inning and then Danny Hayes drew a walk to put runners on first and second with nobody out. Zac Fisher then followed with a single to make it a 5-4 game and also put runners on the corners. After a Trey Wimmer sacrifice fly, Justin Jirschele tripled home the third run of the frame andthen scored on a throwing error to cap off the inning. 

Jeff McKenzie completed the 2 1/3 innings save with a 1-2-3 ninth inning. Andrew Mitchell picked up the no decision after allowing four runs over 4 2/3 innings. Lefty Todd Kibby picked up his sixth win of the year by allowing three runs (2 ER) over 1 2/3 innings.

The Voyagers have not missed the playoffs since 2006, and they will be looking for their second championship in three years when the postseason begins in ten days. First-year Voyagers manager Pete Rose Jr. secured his first managerial playoff appearance with his team's win, and he could not have been more proud of his team's performance.

"They've battled their tale off all year, I can't say enough about them. They are a special group, and I am just happy to be a part of it."

Third baseman Zach Voight played on last year's Voyagers squad that lost to Missoula in the divisional playoff, but he's played a much bigger role on this year's team. The Great Falls cleanup man was just glad to have a chance to clinch at the friendly confines of Centene Stadium.

"It's always better to clinch at home. You're not going to have this same type of atmosphere on the road."

Another member of last year's Voyagers team, Justin Jirschele hinted that despite his squad's hot run in the second half, the boys from the Electric City haven't even played their best baseball yet.

"We're just getting down on it. We're just getting started."