Riders rally behind Wofford’s 2-HR game
BILLINGS — Brody Wofford homered twice, including a sixth-inning grand slam that carried the Glacier Range Riders over the Billings Mustangs 12-8 Thursday at Dehler Park.
Wofford’s first homer was a three-run shot to right in the third inning, knotting the game at 3-all. His second capped a seven-run sixth inning that rallied the Range Riders (5-10 in the Pioneer League this half) from an 8-3 deficit.
Ryan Cash had two hits and scored three times for the Range Riders; Sam Linscott had three hits and scored twice.
Glacier sent 11 men to the plate against three Billings pitchers in the sixth, eight of them after two were out. Ben McConnell hit a bases-loaded single to cut the gap to 8-5; after Cash walked, Linscott hit a single to score another run and keep the bases loaded.
Wofford was up next, and he hit his 13th home run of the season to put the Range Riders up 10-8. He overtook teammate Dean Miller (51) for the RBI lead with 52.
Miller had an RBI single in the eighth inning. Brandt Broussard’s sacrifice fly scored Ryan Cole, who had a hit and three steals Thursday, in the eighth.
Billings fell to 7-8 despite a three-run homer from Gabe Wurtz, his 15th, in the first inning and a three-run double by Jordan Barth in the third.
Glacier's bullpen was big. Bret Barnett (2-2) got the win with 2 2-3 innings in relief of starter Kevin Kyle. He gave up one run, and then saw Nathan Thomas and Justin Coleman combine for five strikeouts and three scoreless innings.
These teams complete a four-game set in Billings Friday night, before both return to Flathead for two more games. Saturday’s game is at 7:05 p.m., and Sunday’s is at 1:05 p.m.
Range Riders 003 007 110 - 12 13 0
Mustangs 303 200 000 - 8 8 0
Kevin Kyle, Bret Barnett (4), Nathan Thomas (7), Justin Coleman (8) and Drew Sims. Sean Kiley, Yasnier Laureano (6), Darrien Ragins (6), Al Pesto (6), Eric Ezersky (8), Joey Lara (9) and Andrew Fernandez.
GLACIER RANGE RIDERS — Ben McConnell 1-5, Ryan Cash 2-4, Sam Linscott 3-5, Brody Wofford 2-5, Dean Miller 2-4, Eddie McCabe 1-4, Ryan Cole 1-4, Sims 0-4, Brandt Broussard 1-3.
BILLINGS MUSTANGS — Crews Taylor 0-3, Abraham Mow 1-4, Jalen Garcia 1-4, Gabe Wurtz 3-5, Fernandez 0-4, Brian Parreira 2-3, Jordan Barth 1-3, Jackson Raper 0-1, Bryce Jackson 0-4, Mason Dinesen 0-3, Jacob Kline 0-0.
2B — Barth. HR — Wofford 2 (13), Wurtz (15). RBIs — Wofford 7, McConnell 2, Miller, Linscott, Broussard, Wurtz 4, Barth 3, Fernandez. SB — Cole 3, Miller.