Range Riders' cold start continues

Things got out of hand quickly Tuesday night at Glacier Bank Park, where the Boise Hawks hit four home runs en route to a 14-2 victory over the Range Riders.

After retiring the first batter in the second inning, starter Tyler Clayton took a line drive that ricocheted off his body for a single. Clayton remained in the game, but gave up four straight extra-base hits, including a two-run home run by Micah Yonamine before he was pulled. 

Things did not get much better from there. Carter Raffield, one of the newest members to the Range Riders, came in relief for Clayton and gave up a three-run home run in the next inning that put the Hawks up 9-0. 

The only offense of the night for the Range Riders came in the fourth inning, where Gabe Howell scored on a wild pitch and Chad Castillo drove in Christian Kirtley for their lone RBI of the game. 

After clinching a playoff berth in the first half of the season, the second half has not been kind to the Range Riders. In their first seven games, they have one win and find themselves at the bottom of the standings. 

Manager Paul Fletcher believes that the grueling Pioneer League schedule and the summer heat has taken its toll on the team. 

“I think we are getting a little tired, been in two weeks of heat and I think when we clinched a playoff spot everyone kind of took a deep breath,” Fletcher said.  

“You could see it because there would be one inning in each game when we are competing and then boom, it would get away from us.” 

That big inning happened in the second on Tuesday, where the Range Riders allowed six runs and couldn’t stop the bleeding. They’ve spent 18 out of the last 24 games on the road and after a tough road series against Missoula, took a much-needed day off Monday to regroup. 

“That day off was huge for us, even for me,” Fletcher said. “Knowing we are home for a week it gives us a chance to get our legs back under us and our guys needed some rest.” 

The Range Riders will face Boise five more times at home, before heading to Billings for a six-game series. With only three more home series left in the second half, it could be critical for the Range Riders to turn things around at home this week. 

“It has been tough being on the road as much as we have but come playoff time it will be good for us as we will have to play some of those games on the road,” Fletcher said. “We just have to be better prepared for those tough series; we know what’s coming.” 

Boise         063    102    101    -    14    18    0 

Glacier    000    200    000    -    2    7    0 

Isaac Mendez (6), Evan Kowalski (9) and Nicholas Klemp. Tyler Clayton (2), Carter Raffield (3), Jack Lynch (6), Justin Coleman (7) JD McLaughlin (8), Andy Atwood (9) and Austin Bates. 

BOISE HAWKS — Michael O’Hara 2-6, Micah Yonamine 1-5, Troy Viola 3-6, Noah Marcelo 3-5, Nicholas Klemp 2-5, Tyler Jorgensen 0-5, Bart Thomspon 1-4, Max Jung-Goldberg 3-4, Tyner Hughes 3-5. 

GLACIER RANGE RIDERS — Gabe Howell 2-4, Ben Fitzgerald 1-4, Christian Kirtley 1-4, Chad Castillo 1-4, Andy Atwood 0-4, Ty Penner 0-2, Jerry Huntzinger 1-3, Austin Bates 1-3, JD McLaughlin 0-3, Ajay Sczepkowski 0-0.  

2B — Jung-Goldberg, Viola, Marcelo 2.  Fitzgerald, Kirtley. 3B — O’Hara Jung-Goldberg. HR — Yonamine (13) Hughes (3) Klemp 2 (4). RBIs — Marcelo, Yonamine 2, Klemp 3, Hughes 4, O’Hara 4. Castillo.

    Glacier's Ben Fitzgerald (8) connects on a double in the sixth inning against Boise at Glacier Bank Park on Tuesday, July 23. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier second baseman Christian Kirtley (1) charges a ground ball in the sixth inning against Boise at Glacier Bank Park on Tuesday, July 23. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier's Gabe Howell (10) connects on a single in the first inning against Boise at Glacier Bank Park on Tuesday, July 23. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier reliever Carter Raffield (20) delivers in the second inning against Boise at Glacier Bank Park on Tuesday, July 23. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier right fielder Chad Castillo (28) makes a catch in the sixth inning against Boise at Glacier Bank Park on Tuesday, July 23. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier's Christian Kirtley (1) connects on a double in the fourth inning against Boise at Glacier Bank Park on Tuesday, July 23. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider