Range Riders work out of Friday jams, win 10-5
GREAT FALLS — The Glacier Range Riders needed to get out of three bases loaded jams to do it, but they were able to double up the Great Falls Voyagers 10-5 Friday in Pioneer League baseball.
It didn’t take long for the Voyagers (11-5) to break into the scoring column, as they ran one across in the bottom of the first to go up 1-0. Glacier (7-8) responded in the next half inning with two RBI singles, one from both Jared Fry and Ryan Cash, before an error allowed Cash himself to cross home. In the third, Gabe Howell scored on a wild pitch, just getting off the base paths in time to watch Brody Wofford’s solo home run on the next pitch. Wofford grabbed another RBI in the next inning with a double that scored Ben McConnell.
Starting pitcher Logan VanWey pitched a solid six innings, but it wasn’t without testy moments. In the fifth, a hit batter and two singles stuffed the bases with nobody out. VanWey got a strikeout before turning to his defense to get a 6-4-3 double play to end the frame.
Great Falls loaded the bases again with two outs in the sixth, but VanWey maneuvered his way out of it with another big strikeout.
Howell and McConnell added RBI singles in the sixth and ninth innings, and Ryan Cash had a sac fly in the seventh.
The Voyagers scored once in the seventh and twice in the eighth to put themselves down five going up for their last hacks. Savvy at-bats by Great Falls helped them again cram the bases, this time with one out in the bottom of the ninth. Clutch pitching came through again for the visitors, though, as Austin Steinfort was able to slam the door without allowing a run across from the jam.
Despite having four decent starts, this was the first professional win for Logan VanWey (1-0). Five different Range Riders had two hits, while Cash led the way with three.
The Range Riders matched up with the Voyagers again Saturday, and the series concludes Sunday at 4 p.m.
Range Riders 032 102 101 - 10 15 0
Voyagers 100 100 120 - 5 10 2
Logan VanWey, Chris Allen (7), Andrew Tri (8), Austin Steinford (8) and Jared Fry. CJ Grant-Debose, Matt Thomas (6), Andy Atwood (9) and Tyler Krabbe, Nick Emanuel (1).
GLACIER RANGE RIDERS — Ben McConnell 2-4, Gabe Howell 2-5, Brody Wofford 2-5, Livingston Morris 2-5, Vinny Bologna 2-5, Fry 1-3, Michael Knell 1-3, Dean Miller 0-0, Ryan Cash 3-4, Brandt Broussard 0-4.
GREAT FALLS VOYAGERS — Breydon Daniel 1-4, Jake Malec 1-5, Atwood 1-3, Riley Jepson 3-5, Krabbe 0-0, Emanuel 1-4, Miachel Deeb 1-4, Eddie McCabe 1-1, Derek Kolbush 0-3, Adam Oviedo 1-3.
2B — McConnell, Howell, Wofford, Morris. 3B — Jepson. HR — Wofford (4). RBIs — Cash 2, Wofford 2, McConnell, Howell, Fry, Atwood, Jepson, Emanuel, Deeb. SB — McConnell. SAC — McConnell, Fry, Broussard. SF — Cash, Atwood.