Range Riders falter in Boise Tuesday
BOISE – The Range Riders dropped the first of a crucial six-game series against the Boise Hawks Tuesday night at Memorial Stadium, fading in the late innings of a 7-4 Pioneer League loss.
The game was tied 4-4 heading into the bottom of the eighth when Nicholas Klemp hit a two-run double to give the Hawks a 6-4 lead. The Hawks scored another run on a passed ball in the inning.
Down 3-1, the Range Riders scored two in the fifth inning on a fielder’s choice RBI by Andy Atwood and an RBI single from Chad Castillo. They took a 4-3 lead on a JD McLaughlin sacrifice fly in the sixth but were shut out in the final three frames.
Tyner Hughes hit his first home run of the season for the Hawks, in his 32nd game played, and Boise won for just their third time in its last 10.
The Range Riders lost a game in the standings with Northern Colorado winning, and hold a one-game lead over the Owlz and a three-game lead over Boise. With five games left in the first halF, there is a lot that can change in the standings to determine who clinches the second seed.
The Range Riders will play five more games in Boise, while the three teams chasing them (Northern Colorado, Boise and Oakland) all wrap up the first half of the season at home.
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Tyler Clayton (4), Jerry Huntzinger (6), Montana Quigley (7), Jack Lynch (8) and Freddy Guilamo. Emilio Alfonzo (4), Evan Kowalski (8), Casey Dykstra (9).
GLACIER RANGE RIDERS – Gabe Howell 2-5, Andy Atwood 2-5, Ty Penner 0-5, Christian Kirtley 2-2, Chad Castillo 1-2, Ajay Sczepkowski 0-3, Nick Block 1-3, Freddy Guilamo 0-3, JD McLaughlin 1-3.
BOISE HAWKS – Kole Kaler 1-3, Micah Yonamine 2-5, Troy Viola 0-3, Patrick Merino 2-4, Noah Marcelo 2-4, Nicholas Klemp 2-4, Tyler Jorgensen 0-3, Tyner Hughes 1-4, Michael O’Hara 1-3.
2B – Block, Howell, McLaughlin. Klemp 2, Marcelo 2. HR – Hughes (1). RBIs – Atwood, Block, Castillo, McLaughlin. Hughes, Kaler, Marcelo, Klemp 2.