Karvandi and Hensel Lead Missoula Impact to 9-6 Win over Casper in Billings

BILLINGS - Nick Karvandi had three hits including a ringing two-run triple and Madden Hensel turned in another sharp pitching performance to lead the Missoula Impact Baseball Club to a 9-6 victory over the Casper Valor in the Billings UpperDeck Expos Invitational Tournament on Friday.

Karvandi capped a five-run second inning outburst with a sharp RBI single, then crushed a long triple off the fence in center field to drive in two more runs to spur a three-run fourth inning. The athletic Class of 2026 prospect went 3-for-3 with three RBIs in the game.

Hensel, also a 2026 prospect, continued an impressive string of starts by scattering seven hits over 6 and 2/3 innings, notching six strikeouts. The right-hander showed good mental toughness after giving up a long one-out home run to slugger Colin Boyd in the top of the seventh that tightened the game. Hensel fanned Trey Clark to reach his pitch limit and turned the ball over to Karvandi who got the last out for the save.

Marek Hall went 2-for-4 and Landin Ramsay had a hit and two RBIs to ignite Impact’s decisive five-run rally in the second inning. Down 1-0, Hall started the rally with a line drive single to right-center. Missoula worked three walks to push on a run and load the bases. Ramsay, sweet-swinging lefty, then scorched a line drive two-run single to left center. Karvandi piled on with a sharp RBI single up the middle to make it 5-1. Casper trimmed the deficit to 5-3 with two runs in the fourth.

Cole Smith led off the bottom of the fourth with a sharp single to right and Kody Evans reached on an error. Karvandi then mashed a long drive one hop off the fence in center field, driving in two runs and providing the cushion. Karvandi scored on a wild pitch. Impact tacked on one more run in the sixth on another sharp single by Karvandi and an error by Valor.

Dillon Gunlock and Kody Evans added hits to supplement the Impact attack.