Daily Roundup: Game Recaps of June 18, 2024
Oakland Ballers 1, Yolo High Wheelers 17
Yolo continued its hot streak in a double-digit victory as the High Wheelers returned home and extended their win streak to four games. Tuesday marked Yolo's fifth straight game where every starter reached base safely and was the seventh consecutive match in which the High Wheelers recorded double-digit hits. After the Ballers struck first in their first time at the plate, Yolo would go on to post 17 unanswered runs, including a six-run sixth inning, to cruise to a comfortable victory. Shortstop Braylin Marine went 5-for-6 in the series opener, — the most in a single game by a Yolo player — scoring five runs and driving in two. On the basepaths, designated hitter Bobby Lada added to the dominance by stealing four bags while also going 4-for-4 from the plate. Starter Cameron Repetti threw six quality innings, allowing five hits and no earned runs while striking out nine hitters to earn his second win of the year.
Rocky Mountain Vibes 7, Northern Colorado Owlz 6
After leading for nearly seven of the first eight innings of the game, the Vibes survived a five-run eighth-inning surge to hold on to a one-run victory in an in-state matchup. Rocky Mountain headed North to score its seven runs on only eight hits to squeak out a win in Tuesday's series opener courtesy of a pair of crucial early home runs from Dane Tofteland and Steven Rivas who led the team with two RBI apiece. The Owlz started off the action with a Dave Matthews single in the first inning that drove in a run, but then went quiet for six innings, failing to score another run until the bottom of the eighth as they fell into a 5-1 hole. Then, a five-hit, eight-run bottom of the eighth gave them their first lead of the inning, as NorCo had the chance to clinch a comeback win, heading into the top of the ninth with a 6-5 lead. A hit-by-pitch and wild pitch set the Vibes up with a runner at second and no outs, who would eventually come around to score on a Ben Carson single before Rivas scored the game's winning run on a fielding error on a fielder's choice one batter later.
Missoula Paddleheads 11, Billings Mustangs 3
In Missoula's first game of the season against Billings, and its first since facing the Mustangs in the first round of last year's playoffs, a team-wide affair led the Paddleheads to victory amidst a 21-hit game. Seven of Missoula's starters recorded at least two hits, as shortstop Colin Gordon led the team with five hits on a perfect night at the plate, driving in three runs — including a solo shot in the second inning. The visiting team's second home run of the game came courtesy of Alec Sanchez in the top of the eight, which counted as his game-leading fourth RBI. In his return to his former home ballpark, Elijah Gill spun five innings of two-run ball while striking out five to earn his fifth win of the season — which is good for most in the league — and keep his perfect record intact.
Ogden Raptors 25, Grand Junction Jackalopes 13
In Tuesday's highest-scoring game by far, the Raptors exploded for 25 runs on 24 hits for a double-digit win in their first trip to Grand Junction this season. Eight of Ogden's starters recorded a hit in the contest, with leadoff man Jack Cone leading the way, going 5-for-8 and recording a team-high six RBI. While both starters were knocked out within the first two innings, both the Raptors (Gabriel Pacheco) and Jackalopes (Dustin Schorie) would have relievers come in for successful four-inning appearances, allowing both teams to use only four total pitchers. After leading 8-6 after two innings, Ogden would not relinquish its position, scoring 10 runs in a six-hit, four of which came on two separate home runs by Cone in the one inning. They wouldn't look back from here, as the two teams traded off a couple of runs in the remaining innings before Pacheco came in for the four-inning save and the Raptors secured a comfortable victory.
Great Falls Voyagers 4, Glacier Range Riders 3
The Voyagers held on late after a four-run fifth inning to pick up their third victory in 10 games against the Range Riders. In a game that featured only nine combined hits, the runs were few and far between outside of Great Falls' top of the fifth. The Voyagers' Kyle Schroedle impressed in his first game in the League and professional baseball as a whole, driving in two runners with a bases-loaded single before scoring on a double later in the inning. Chad Castillo led the way for the Range Riders with two walks and two RBI, as he hit a home run in the second to start the game's scoring. After falling behind 4-1 in the fifth, Glacier remained quiet for a while before scoring a run in both the eighth and ninth, but it still fell short of the comeback victory on a low-scoring day. AJ Fritz grabbed his first win of the year with a five-inning, one-run performance where he allowed four hits and struck out five.
Idaho Falls Chukars 5, Boise Hawks 2
The twelfth-place Chukars overcame the second-place Hawks in a low-scoring series opener thanks to three runs scoring on three balks in the sixth inning. This proved to be the difference maker for the Chukars after they found themselves tied at two in the fourth. Both starters started the game out strong, with Idaho Falls's Casey Minchey going 4.2 innings, allowing four hits but also giving up five walks as Boise's Robert Dudzinski threw a full five innings giving up seven hits as the pair gave up two runs apiece in their appearances. While the Chukars nearly doubled Boise's hit total, they struggled to drive in runs, leaving nine men stranded across nine innings and recording only two RBI in the entire contest.
How to Watch
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