This Week in the PBL (June 30 -July 5)
With another full week of games complete, the Pioneer Baseball League season continues to unfold. Here's a team-by-team recap of the action through July 5, including top performances and each club's schedule for the week ahead.
Billings Mustangs (31-10)
Billings went 5-1 this week, dropping the series opener to Idaho Falls before winning the next two games and then taking two of three at Great Falls. The Mustangs scored at least nine runs in five of their six games, including a 20-7 win in Sunday's series finale.
A.J. Shaver hit four home runs and drove in 17 runs during the week. Jaden Harris struck out 10 over seven scoreless innings against Idaho Falls, while Cameron Bowen finished the week with a six-hit performance in the series finale at Great Falls.
Billings hosts Idaho Falls for three games before traveling to Missoula for a three-game series, pushing closer to clinching a playoff spot, likely only needing three more wins this week.
Boise Hawks (22-20)
Boise went 3-3 this week, taking two of three at Ogden before dropping two of three at home against the Raptors. The Hawks won a 19-16 slugfest in Ogden, then avoided a series sweep at home with a 13-5 win in the finale.
Michael O'Hara had five hits and five RBIs in the July 3 win, while Joseph Kalafut drove in five runs in the same game and homered twice during the week.
Boise travels to Ogden for three games before returning home to face the Raptors for another three-game series.
Glacier Range Riders (27-15)
Glacier went 5-1 this week, taking two of three at Great Falls before sweeping RedPocket Mobiles at home. The Range Riders bounced back from a 22-12 loss to win the series finale in Great Falls and carried that momentum into a three-game sweep.
Brock Vradenburg drove in eight runs during the Great Falls series, while Jacob Steele collected six RBIs against RedPocket. Zach Longshore earned two wins during the week.
Glacier hosts Great Falls for three games before traveling to Great Falls for another three-game set. Their recent performance has turned them into one of the only teams in reach of catching either Billings or Long Beach and clinching a playoff spot with their first half record.
Great Falls Voyagers (16-26)
Great Falls went 2-4 this week, dropping two of three to Glacier before dropping two of three to Billings. The Voyagers picked up a 22-12 win over the Range Riders, then earned an 18-13 victory over the Mustangs before falling 20-7 in the series finale.
Trey Cruz and Kyle Schmack led the offense during the week, with Schmack homering in both series. Esteban Hernandez earned the win against Glacier, and A.J. Kostic picked up his first victory of the season against Billings.
Great Falls travels to Glacier for three games before hosting the Range Riders.
Idaho Falls Chukars (13-29)
Idaho Falls went 2-4 this week, taking two of three at Billings before dropping two of three at Missoula. The Chukars closed the week with a 5-4 comeback win after Parker Lester hit a go-ahead grand slam in the ninth inning.
Justin Trimble continued to lead the offense, while Ryan Lee homered twice during the Missoula series. Seth Spencer threw seven innings in Sunday's win before Sean Kelby earned the victory and Hunter Hargett recorded the save.
Idaho Falls hosts Great Falls for three games before traveling to Billings for three more.
Long Beach Coast (32-10)
Long Beach went 4-2 this week, sweeping Oakland before dropping two of three at Yuba-Sutter. The Coast won all three games against the Ballers, including two one-run victories, then finished the week with a 13-8 win to avoid a sweep.
Emilio Corona hit .500 with three home runs and 11 RBIs during the week, while Cuba Bess and Matthew Bardowell each drove in 15 runs. Garrett VanDeventer tossed a complete-game victory over Oakland, allowing one run in nine innings.
Long Beach travels to Oakland for three games before returning home to host the Ballers for three games. Long Beach only needs two more wins this week to clinch their spot in the playoffs.
Missoula PaddleHeads (19-22)
The PaddleHeads began the week by hosting the RedPocket Mobiles for a three-game series, then the Chukars came to town over the weekend.
After dropping the first game 8-7 to the RedPocket Mobiles, Missoula won the next matchup 17-10. William Bermudez and Xavier Casserilla both hit home runs in the win, with eight different pitchers throwing. Missoula lost the last game of the series 17-16.
The PaddleHeads were able to win two out of three against the Idaho Falls Chukars, winning the first two games 9-4 and 25-14. This week, they will travel to Boise, then host the Hawks.
Modesto Roadsters (26-16)
Modesto started the week with a three-game set against the Freebirds in Yuba, then played the weekend series at home versus the Ballers.
The Roadsters swept the Freebirds, scoring a total of 49 runs across the three games against them. They won 21-6 on Thursday, Osiris Johnson hit two home runs and Hayden Dunhurst hit one.
Against the Ballers, Modesto won the first game 7-3, losing the Saturday game 8-4, and answering Sunday, winning 20-4.
This week, they begin at Oakland, then will travel home to host the Long Beach Coast over the weekend.
Oakland Ballers (17-25)
Oakland matched up against Long Beach for their first three games, then faced the Modesto Roadsters to finish the week.
The Ballers got swept by the Coast to begin the week. Losing by one run in both games to open the series, each with a score of 8-7, before losing the final game 14-1. They were able to grab their lone win of the week against Modesto on Saturday, July 4th, winning 8-4. Tremayne Cobb shined, hitting a home run and two doubles, driving in four runs.
The Ballers spend this whole week at home, hosting the Modesto Roadsters to begin, then the Freebirds over the weekend.
Ogden Raptors (25-17)
Ogden spent the whole week facing off against the Boise Hawks. After playing the first four at home, they traveled to Boise for the last two games of the week.
The Raptors went 4-2 on the week, after dropping the first game, they won the next two 15-12 and 20-8. In that 20-8 win, Nico Saltaformaggio earned his seventh win of the season on the mound, giving him a 7-0 record so far. Garrett Bevacqua hit a home run and drove in three on the night. They would lose the final game of the homestand 19-16 before winning the last two at Boise 16-15 and 13-5.
The Ogden Raptors will spend this week at the Glacier Range Riders for six games.
RedPocket Mobiles (9-33)
The Mobiles began the week with a one-run win at the Missoula PaddleHeads by a score of 8-7. After dropping the next game, they won the rubber match of the three-game series 17-16. In that win, Justin Johnson was a single away from hitting for the cycle.
The RedPocket Mobiles traveled to Glacier to take on the Range Riders to finish the week, getting swept in three games, while getting shutout on Saturday.
The Mobiles open up this week with three games at Billings, then travel to Great Falls for three more against the Voyagers.
Yuba-Sutter Freebirds (14-28)
The Freebirds began this past week hosting the Modesto Roadsters for three games. Then, the Long Beach Coast traveled to Yuba for three games over the weekend.
The Freebirds were swept in the series against Modesto, losing 20-6, 8-2, and 21-9.
The Yuba-Sutter Freebirds are on the road this week, traveling to Long Beach for three games against the Coast, then facing off against the Ballers in Oakland.