Riders top Raptors with big flies, big inning
KALISPELL — The Glacier Range Riders used a huge fifth inning to propel them to a 10-9 win over the defending Pioneer League Champion Ogden Raptors at Glacier Bank Park on Tuesday.
Down 5-1 in their bottom half of the fifth inning the Range Riders scored eight runs, powered by three-run home runs from Mason Dinesen and Gavin Tonkel. It was the second straight game that both Dinesen and Tonkel homered.
“My first approach in the at-bat was to bunt with runners on first and second and no outs,” Dinesen said. “I just got into a hitters count and tried to hit something hard and ended up hitting it out of the park.”
Dinesen’s approach may come as a shock as he is the clean-up hitter for the Range Riders — a bunt would depend on a signal he receives from assistant coach Tommy Thompson.
“Me and Tommy have a hidden sign and if I am feeling it I will do it and try to use my speed to get on base and steal bases,” Dinesen said. “We are reading the third baseman and especially if it's raining it could be difficult to make a play.”
Instead, he hit his third home run of the season. The fifth inning saw the Range Riders bat around with a patient plate approach, drawing three walks before the big swings from Dinesen and Tonkel. This next man up approach has paid dividends in recent games, as the Range Riders have won 10 out of their last 11, are 10-3 and sit atop the standings in the Pioneer League.
“The ballpark is amazing, the fans are amazing and the chemistry we have in the clubhouse is top notch,” Tonkel said. “Everyone works well together and we all have a focus on the field to win a championship and it makes it a fun environment to play in.”
The game looked to be in jeopardy in the top of the eighth inning, when the Raptors had the bases loaded and no outs.
Pitcher Cam Cowan got Landen Barnes to ground into a 4-6-3 double play before Nick Ultsch cleared the bases with a two-run home run to trim the deficit to 10-9.
Jack Lynch came in for the top of the ninth and notched his Pioneer League-leading fourth save, and the Range Riders took game one of the six-game series. The Raptors fell to 2-11.
Ogden 012 200 130 - 9 12 0
Glacier 100 081 00x - 10 14 2
David Reckers, Mark Schommer (5), Shane Gustafson (7) Ryan Steckline (8) and Thomas Greely. Kaleb Sophy (4), Cullen Kafka (5), Seth Pinkerton (7) Cam Cowan (8) Jack Lynch (9) and Freddy Guilamo.
OGDEN RAPTORS – Jack Cone 2-4, Landen Barns 0-4, Nick Ultsch 2-4, Chris Sargent 3-5, Pearce Howard 2-5, Thomas Greely 0-5, Chuck Steele 0-4, Kenny Oyama 2-4, Raymond Gil 0-2.
GLACIER RANGE RIDERS – Andy Atwood 2-5, Christian Kirtley 0-3, Chad Castillo 2-6, Mason Dinesen 3-4, Ben Fitzgerald 0-3, JD McLaughlin 1-4, John Daly 1-3, Nick Block 0-0, Freddy Guilamo 0-1, Gavin Tonkel 3-4.
2B – Sargent 2, 3B – McLaughlin. HR – Ultsch (4), Dinesen (3), Tonkel (3).
RBIs – Barns, Greely, Gil, Sargent 2, Ultsch 3, Castillo, Daly, McLaughlin, Dinesen 3, Tonkel 3.
NOTE: This story has been updated to crrect Nick Ultsch's home run to a two-run shot.