Road Teams Show Out in Wednesday Action

Glacier 11, Billings 0: Range Riders Blank Billings, Pintaro Excels in Third Start 

The league-leading Glacier Range Riders continued their winning streak Wednesday against the Billings Mustangs, shutting out their Montana neighbors 11-0. Gabe Howell and Jackson Raper led the offense for the Range Riders, combining for seven runs batted in on four hits. Crews Taylor, Dean Miller, and Benjamin Fitzgerald drove in the rest of the runs on a well-rounded rout. However, the most impressive outing was starting pitcher Jonathan Pintaro, who now improves to 3-0 in three starts for the Range Riders. Pintaro threw eight scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and only three hits allowed, another superb start to add to his strong season. 

Idaho Falls 6, Ogden 5: Chukars Outlast Raptors in Run-Trading Affair 

In a close match where teams traded runs and leads all night, the visiting Idaho Falls Chukars kept the edge over the Ogden Raptors, winning 6-5. Sam Troyer and Trevor Halsema led the scoring for the Chukars, each batting in a pair of runs, including a two-run homer from Halsema in the fourth. After the Raptors came back from being down 5-3 in the fifth inning on a Reese Alexiades two-run blast, Mark Herron Jr. brought Halsema in on a fielder's choice to take back the lead. The Idaho Falls bullpen cleaned up the rest of the lineup with Jacob Bogacz and Bryant Bagshaw each pitching a scoreless inning with no hits or walks.  

Missoula 14, Great Falls 4: PaddleHeads Dominate Voyagers on the Road in Bounce-Back Win 

After a heartbreaking walk-off loss to the Great Falls Voyagers yesterday, the Missoula PaddleHeads tore up the opposition in a 14-4 blowout. After going down 3-1 in the first inning, the PaddleHeads quickly took the lead back in the second and didn't let off the gas, eventually scoring five runs in the eighth to put the game out of reach. Second baseman Patrick Chung shined in the victory with three hits, four runs batted in, and a solo home run. Cameron Thompson scored on all his trips to the bases, and Jayson Newman-Dodd and Jared Akins each drove in a pair on four combined hits. Missoula now sits just behind the Range Riders in the North Division. 

Grand Junction 10, Boise 7: Jackalopes Secure First Home Victory, Hubbard Stays Hot 

A day after their home opener, the Jackalopes won their first game at home of the 2023 season in a 10-7 victory, also becoming the only team on Wednesday night to win at home. The Jackalopes struck first in the bottom of the first, and though the Hawks kept responding with runs of their own to keep the game close – tying the score twice and never going more than four runs down – Grand Junction stayed just ahead to seal the win. Catcher Jaylen Hubbard had another multi-home run game, his second in two days. Ron Washington Jr. also went yard with a two-run shot, tying him with Benjamin Fitzgerald of the Range Riders for first in the league with five home runs. 

Northern Colorado 14, Rocky Mountain 10: Owlz Survive Vibes' Late Rally, Take Wild Road Win Over Division Rival 

Despite late-game heroics and chaos, the Northern Colorado Owlz handed the Rocky Mountain Vibes their fifth straight loss in a 14-10 road win. Henry George led the way in scoring with a three-run homer and another run driven in, and Kevin Higgins provided four hits and four runs of his own. The Vibes took a 3-1 lead going into the fourth inning, and after Northern Colorado took the lead, the Vibes tied it back up in the fourth. The Owlz broke that tie with six unanswered runs, including a home run from George in the top of the seventh. However, the Vibes fought back with a four-run eighth inning on the back of three hits and a wild pitch from Tyler Johnson. Finally, after two more runs from the Owlz, reigning South Division Batter of the Week Dusty Stroup was thrown out on a close play at first, stranding the bases loaded to seal the victory.