Riders thump Mustangs 11-4 Wednesday
BILLINGS — Andy Atwood had three hits, including a three-run home run Glacier’s big fifth inning as the Range Riders picked up their second straight Pioneer League baseball win Wednesday, 11-4 over the Billings Mustangs.
Coming off seven straight losses the Range Riders (4-11 this half) have found their footing at Dehler Park: Wednesday they pounded 18 hits, including a 5-for-5 night from Chad Castillo, with a double, two runs batted in and two runs scored.
Newcomer River Orsak — he was signed July 25 — had three hits and his first three professional RBIs for Glacier. Orsak, Connor Housley and TJ Clarkson all scored twice.
Jacob Kline’s home run off Glacier starting pitcher Cooper Benson had tied the game at 3-3 in the third inning before the Range Riders took command in the fifth. TJ Clarkson’s RBI single broke the tie, and Atwood greeted reliever J Truman with his eighth home run of the season.
That made it 7-3, and the gap grew to 8-3 on Clarkson’s sacrifice fly in the sixth inning and 10 on RBI singles from R Orsak and Castillo in the seventh.
Castillo got his fifth hit, an RBI single, in the ninth.
Benson lasted 4 1-3 innings, allowing six hits, one walk and three earned runs. He fanned three. Rayne Supple got five outs and the decision and Ricky Tibbett finished out the final three innings, fanning four, for the save.
The series with Billings (6-8) continues through Sunday at Dehler Park.
Glacier 021 041 201 - 11 18 1
Billings 1-2 000 001 - 4 8 0
Cooper Benson, Rayne Supple (5), Ricky Tibbett (7) and Antonio Barranca. Ethan McRae, Luke Trueman (5), Jacob Bradshaw (6), Joey Hennessey (8) and Abe Valdez.
GLACIER RANGE RIDERS — Gabe Howell 3-5, Chad Castillo 5-6, Christian Kirtley 0-4, TJ Clarkson 2-4, Andy Atood 3-5, Barranca 0-4, JD McLaughlin 2-4, River Orsak 3-4, Gavin Tonkel 0-5.
BILLINGS MUSTANGS — Kyle Booker 1-2, Brendan Ryan 1-5, Connor Dennig 1-4,k Gary Lora 1-5, Gabe Wurtz 1-4, Jacob Kline 1-4, Dylan Leach 0-4, Valdez 0-2, Casey Harford 2-4.
2B — Castillo, McLaughlin, Harford. 3B — Booker. HR — Atwood (8), Kline (8). RBIs — Atwood 4, Orsak 3, Clarkson 2, Castillo 2, Ryan 2, Kline 2.