Big inning keys Range Riders Saturday
BILLINGS — Kingston Liniak and Ben Fitzgerald homered in Glacier’s 7-run fourth inning Saturday, and the Range Riders got back in the win column by beating the Billings Mustangs 15-8 in Pioneer League baseball.
Matt Clayton also homered, a 3-run shot in the first inning, for the Range Riders (11-4). That came in a four-run first inning, though the Mustangs got three runs in their half.
In the fourth Liniak and Fitzgerald hit back-to-back homers to build the lead to 12-3; Liniak’s home run, his second, was a 3-run shot; Fitzgerald hit his seventh, tying him for the league lead.
Clayton hit his third home run in 11 games with the Range Riders.
Glacier added three runs in the ninth, getting RBIs from Ryan Cash and Ben McConnell.
McConnell, Crews Taylor, Clayton, Gabe Howell and Liniak all scored twice. Taylor and Jackson Raper both drove in two runs against their former team.
The Mustangs (4-13) had their first six hitters reach base in their half of the ninth. Range Rider reliever Justin Coleman came on and, after issuing a bases-loaded walk, struck out the final two hitters to end it.
Aside from Coleman, the Range Riders’ most effective pitcher was Lyle Hibbits, who threw four innings in relief of starter Nick Zegna. Hibbits allowed three hits, two walks and one run. He hit one batter and struck out two before giving way to Andrew Holweger in the eighth.
Billings actually outhit Glacier 14-10, but the Range Riders worked Mustang pitching for eight walks and were hit by two pitches.
The Range Riders have won four of five in their series with Billings. They play a getaway game Sunday at 1:05 p.m., then head to Missoula for three games beginning Tuesday.
Riders 410 700 003 - 15 10 0
Mustangs 300 010 004 - 8 14 4
Nick Zegna, Lyle Hibbitts (4), Andrew Holweger (8), Nathan Thomas (9), Justin Coleman (9) and Matt Clayton. Trevor Jackson, Tyler Pohlmann (4), Keagan McGinnis (6), Bryce Donovan (9) and Trevor Johnson.
GLACIER RANGE RIDERS — Gabe Howell 0-3, Crews Taylor 1-5, Clayton 1-3, Jackson Raper 1-5, Kingston Liniak 1-3, Ben Fitzgerald 1-4, Mason Dinesen 0-0, Eddie McCabe 2-4, Ryan Cash 1-5, Ben McConnell 2-5.
BILLINGS MUSTANGS — Taylor Lomack 3-5, Connor Denning 2-5, Mitch Moralez 1-5, Gabe Wurtz 2-5, Tyler Wilbewr 1-4, Bryce Donovan 2-3, Luke Fennelly 2-4, Johnson 0-4, Antonio Fernandez 1-5.
2B — Cash, Moralez, Wurtz, Fennelly. HR — Clayton, Liniak, Fitzgerald. RBIs — Clayton 3, Liniak 3, Raper 2, Taylor 2, Fitzgerald, McCabe, Cash, McConnell, Fennelly 3, Wurtz 2, Donovan, Johnson.