Tullar Terrific Again, Crenshaw’s Walk-Off Boosts Billings
Billings and Northern Colorado competed in their second doubleheader of the week on Sunday, with the Mustangs sweeping again in style
Billings and Northern Colorado competed in their second doubleheader of the week on Sunday, with the Mustangs sweeping again in style. Last week's North Division Pitcher of the Week Cam Tullar was the headliner again in game 1, going all seven innings while giving up just two hits, fanning 12 and walking one in the 7-1 route for the hosts. He received widespread contribution from a Mustang lineup that put up 6 runs in the first three frames, led by a Brady West home run and two-hit performances from Jalen Garcia and Mitch Moralez. Abdel Guadalupe stayed hot with a triple in a forgettable Owlz outing.
Both sets of arms came to play in game 2, with starters Chase Jessee and Luke Trueman going 5+ strong with five hits and one run to their names. After Northern Colorado's Kevin Jimenez scored to break the deadlock in the fifth, the Mustangs loaded the bases in the sixth and Jessee was pulled for Cory Willis, who held them to just a Taylor Lomack sacrifice fly to tie the ball game at 1. Down to their last out an inning later, Wyatt Crenshaw capped a three-hit day with a two-run walk-off slam to right center, and the 3-1 Billings win made it five out of six on the week to get themselves back in the mix at 14-16. NoCo continues to lose ground in the tight South at 14-15.
Ogden 19, Boise 8: Raptor Bats Run Riot, Retake South Lead
Early offensive explosion and an eight-run sixth were the headlines in a dominant Ogden performance. The first two runs of the day were scored on Ryley Widell wild pitches until the real onslaught started with a Cameron Phelts single in the second. Widell and Mike Peterson were tagged by the entire Raptors lineup, with 1-9 all hitting safely and scoring on the afternoon. Reese Alexiades drove in five, Dakota Conners hit a grand slam and Juan Teixeira also went yard to lead Ogden to its 17th win of the season and jump the Hawks atop the South standings again. The visitors put up six in the final two frames, but it was too little, too late. Tyler Jorgenson stayed hot with a 2-for-4 day.
Rocky Mountain 19, Grand Junction 8: Vibes Victorious in Another Shootout
The runs were flying all weekend in Grand Junction, and it was the visiting Vibes who took the decider behind 19 more runs on Sunday. Jacob Barfield spearheaded the Rocky Mountain attack by reaching in all six plate appearances, walking twice and going 4-4 including two homers and a double. Austin Elder had six RBIs to his name thanks to a grand slam in a two-homer day of his own. Starter Christian Day gave up five early runs, but he finished strong with two scoreless frames and the Vibes bullpen was solid the rest of the way. For Grand Junction, Ron Washington Jr smacked his fourth double of the week and added a triple, and Anthony Ray left the yard for the first time this season, his team's lone home run of the day. The Vibes snap a streak of three series losses in a row and improve to 9-19, with Grand Junction falling to 14-16.
Missoula 6, Idaho Falls 1: Villa Continues to Shine, PaddleHeads Bounce Back
Alfredo Villa has been one of the league's best hurlers this season, and he put together yet another stellar outing on Sunday as Missoula clinched the home leg of their week-long series against the Chukars, taking five out of six in total. Villa went eight innings strong, striking out 12 and giving up one run on two hits. Thomas DeBonville contributed a double and a home run, and McClain O'Connor hit safely three times for the 23-7 PaddleHeads. Patrick Chung capped his stellar week with an RBI single. Both Chukar hits came in the sixth, when Trevor Halsema drove in Brandon Bohning with a single. Idaho Falls slips to 12-18, wavering in fourth place in the North.
Glacier 6, Great Falls 4: Clutch Range Riders Make It Five in a Row
The Range Riders took the long way yet again on their path to a fifth straight victory over the Voyagers this week. Eddie McCabe put them in an early hole with a two-run blast, before Glacier tied the game up in the following innings. Riley Jepson doubled, and Jaylyn Williams singled to nudge Great Falls in front again, but the comeback kids weren't done thanks to Gabe Howell, who got the rally started with a sixth-inning RBI single and snatched the lead with an eighth-inning double. Justin Coleman put a man on but a double play with the tying run at the dish gave him the save and pushed Glacier to 17-11, and the Voyagers continue to fall off the pace at 8-20.
