6-run rally lifts Range Riders
Jackson Raper’s 3-run double broke an eighth-inning tie and keyed a 6-run outburst, and that carried Glacier to a 7-4 win and a series sweep of the Billings Mustangs in Pioneer League baseball Thursday.
The Range Riders (5-2) trailed 2-0 in the second inning and didn’t catch the Mustangs (3-6) until Crews Taylor singled in Ryan Cash with one out in the eighth, making it 2-2.
Dean Miller walked to load the bases and Raper sent a double to left, scoring Gabe Howell, Taylor and Miller for a 5-2 lead.
After Kingston Liniak singled and stole second base, Benjamin Fitzgerald hit a two-run single to center — his league-leading 12th and 13th runs batted in of the season (Missoula’s Keaton Greenwalt also has 13).
Billings pushed across an unearned run and got a solo home run from Bryce Donovan in the ninth, but came no closer.
Reliever Joseph Kinsky (1-0) got the win for Glacier with a scoreless eighth inning with two strikeouts. Roy Robles threw a scoreless seventh; starter Jonathan Pintaro threw six solid innings, allowing three hits and two walks with three strikeouts, but left trailing 2-1.
Howell scored twice and Taylor stole two bases for the Range Riders, who lead the PL’s Northern Division by a game over Missoula, which lost 10-9 Thursday to the Rocky Mountain Vibes.
The Vibes, 3-5, come to Glacier Bank Park for a 3-game set beginning Friday (7:05 p.m.).
Mustangs 020 000 002 - 4 6 1
Range Riders 000 100 06x - 7 8 2
Pat Maybach, Hunter Schilperoort (6), Nate Jenkins (8) and Bryce Donovan. Jonathan Pintaro, Roy Robles (7), Joseph Kinsky (8), Ryan Cloude (9) and Matt Clayton.
BILLINGS MUSTANGS — Luke Fennelly 0-3, Connor Denning 1-4, Mikey Edie 0-3, Gabe Wurtz 0-3, Mitch Moralez 1-4, Tyler Wilber 0-3, Casey Hoarford 1-4, Bryce Donovan 2-4, M Miller 1-4.
GLACIER RANGE RIDERS — Gabe Howell 2-4, Crews Taylor 2-3, Dean Miller 0-2, Jackson Raper 1-3, Kingston Liniak 1-4, Ben Fitzgerald 1-4, Clayton 0-4, Mason Dinesen 0-3, Ben McConnell 1-1, Ryan Cash 0-3.
2B — Raper. HR — Donovan (1). RBIs — Miller 2, Donovan, Wilber, Raper 3, Fitzgerald 2, Taylor, Miller.