Washington powers Voyagers past Riders

GREAT FALLS – Xane Washington drove in five runs for the Great Falls Voyagers, as they defeated the Glacier Range Riders 10-5 Tuesday night at Centene Stadium. 

After a hard fought six-game series against the top ranked Missoula PaddleHeads, the Range Riders struggled against a team with the second-worst record in the Pioneer League. 

Range Riders’ starting pitcher Cullen Kafka walked five batters, which led to six earned runs in just over four innings. His counterpart AJ Fritz, pitched seven strong innings, allowing three runs to earn the win. 

The Range Riders’ bottom third of the order struggled all night, as they combined to go 0-for-8 with four strikeouts. Gabe Howell hit a solo homerun in the ninth, his fourth of the season in just his eighth game played. 

Ty Penner went 3-for-5 with two runs scored batting out of the third spot. The Range Riders’ lineup was looking to fill the void by their team leading hitter Mason Dinesen, who recently had his contract purchased by the Chicago White Sox. 

These two teams will face each other two more times in Great Falls before they head to Glacier on Friday to start another three-game series. It will be the sixth series these teams have played against each other, more than any other opponent.  

GLACIER    010    200    011    --    5    10    2 

G. FALLS    003    032    02x    --    10    7    0

Cullen Kafka (5), Aidan McEvoy (6), Jason Bollman (8) and Freddy Guilamo. Aj Fritz (7), Trae Roberston (8), Braden Forsyth (9) and Hernan Yanez. 

GLACIER RANGE RIDERS – Gabe Howell 1-4, Andy Atwood 0-4, Ty Penner 3-5, Christian Kirtley 1-3, Chad Castillo 2-4, Ajay Sczepkowski 2-4, Ben Fitzgerald 1-3, Freddy Guilamo 0-3, Gavin Tonkel 0-1, Nick Block 0-4. 

GREAT FALLS VOYAGERS --     Ryan Major 2-4, Xane Washington 2-4, Mahki Backstrom 0-5, Hernan Yanez 0-1, Antonio Fernandez 0-1, Hylan Hall 0-4, Jack Lynch 1-4, Oscar Serratos Jr. 1-3, Freddy Rojas Jr. 0-1, Kody Putnam 1-2. 

2B – Fitzgerald, Penner, Sczepkowski. Washington 2. HR – Howell (4). Major (4). RBIs – Castillo, Howell, Sczepkowski, Fitzgerald 2. Major 4, Washington 5.