Pioneer League: Voyagers answer Range Riders rally, win 9-8

GREAT FALLS — The Glacier Range Riders had plenty of fight Tuesday night, but just needed a little better pitching.

Trailing 5-2 and then 7-5, Glacier took an 8-7 lead over Great Falls on Livingston Morris’ three-run double in the ninth inning — only to see the Voyagers get a walk-off, 9-8 win at Centene Field

Braden Daniel’s sacrifice fly won it for the Voyagers (10-3), the first-place team in the Pioneer League’s North Division.

Riley Jepson hit a leadoff single before Glacier reliever Chandler Ingram walked Collin Runge after getting ahead 0-2. Derek Kolbush also fell behind 0-2, but hit a single (his fourth hit) that scored Runge and moved Kolbush to third. After an intentional walk Daniel flew out to deep left; Kolbush tagged up and scored.

Glacier led 2-0 on Brody Wofford’s two-run single in the first, then trailed 5-2, then rallied twice.

In the sixth, the Range Riders (5-7) strung together six hits — the key one being Wofford’s two-run homer, his third. Morris singled and eventually came in to tie it 5-5 on Michale Knell’s base hit to left.

In the ninth Glacier got to relievers Anthony Beccara-Lopez, who hadn’t surrendered a run this season, and Montana Quigley.

Brandt Broussard singled, moved to second on Wofford’s two-out, broken-bat single to right, and then to third when Dean Miller beat out a slow roller to short.

Morris greeted Quigley with a shot off the wall in left-center, putting the Range Riders ahead.

Great Falls’ rally marred a very good offensive night for the Range Riders, who were 7-for-14 with two outs and 4-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Morris and Vinny Bolonga were making their Glacier debuts; they played the corner outfield spots and combined on four hits.

Andrew Stout pitched solidly for four innings, and Austin Steinfort retired all five men he faced. Three other relievers gave up seven runs in 2 2-3 innings, however.

The teams play the second game of a six-game series Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Range Riders 200 003 003 - 8 15 2

Voyagers 002 030 202 - 9 13 1

Andrew Stout, Chris Allen (5), Reid Johnston (7), Austin Steinfort (7), Chandler Ingram (9) and Jared Fry. Shane Gustafson, Anthony Becerra-Lopez (7), Montana Quigley (9) and Tyler Krabbe. WP — Quigley (1-0). LP—Ingram (1-1).

GLACIER RANGE RIDERS — Brandt Broussard 2-5, Ben McConnell 2-5, Brody Wofford 3-4, Tyler Ryan 0-0, Dean Miller 1-5, Livingston Morris 3-5, Vinny Bolonga 1-4, Jared Fry 1-4, Michael Knell 1-4, Ryan Cash 1-3.

GREAT FALLS VOYAGERS — Breydon Daniel 1-4, Jake Malec 1-4, Andy Atwood 2-4, Michael Deeb 1-5, Tyler Krabbe 0-4, Riley Jepson 1-4, Collin Runge 1-3, Derek Kolbush 4-5, Eddie McCabe 2-2.

2B — McConnell, Wofford, Morris, Daniel, Malec, Runge, 3B — Kolbush. HR — Wofford. RBIs — Wofford 4, Morris 3, Knell, Daniel 3, Kolbush 2, Deeb, Krabbe.