Range Riders win fourth straight

by Daily Inter Lake
| June 23, 2024 5:33 PM

For the fourth straight game, the Glacier Range Riders’ starting pitchers shut down the Great Falls Voyagers lineup in a 7-3 win Saturday night at Glacier Bank Park.

Starting pitcher Brady Held gave up one run over seven innings and struck out 11, tying a franchise record. Held credits his performance to the chemistry he has with Nick Gore, who was catching Held for just the second time this season.

“We are building communication and building trust,” Held said. “I think I maybe shook off two calls all game from him, he was really good behind the plate.”

Gore was added to the team last week from New Mexico State, where he was a member of the 2023 All-WAC defensive team. He is quickly adapting to the Range Riders game plan of limiting walks and attacking hitters.

“We have been working on a lot of different things with them to get them to be more comfortable, throw strikes and just be efficient,” manager Paul Fletcher said.

It was the Range Riders' fourth straight win over the Voyagers, during which the starting pitchers have only allowed two runs over 22 innings.

Andy Atwood started the scoring early for the Range Riders, with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning, his fourth of the season. They also capitalized on the Voyagers' mistakes, as three of the team’s seven runs came off wild pitches.

With the win, the Range Riders (19-10) moved into sole possession of second place in the league standings.a

G. FALLS 000 001 020 – 3 7 0

GLACIER 111 000 22x – 7 8 1

Kenny Carrillo (2), Jason Pineda (6), Braden Forsyth (7), Nolan LaMere, Tyler Johnson (8) and Hernan Yanez. Brady Held (7), Jerry Huntzinger (8), Cameron Cowan (9) and Nick Gore.

GREAT FALLS VOYAGERS – Ryan Major 1-4, AJ Fritz 1-4, Freddy Rojas Jr. 0-4, Hernan Yanez 0-3, Jack Lynch 1-4, Xane Washington 1-4, Mahki Backstrom 2-4, Kody Putnam 0-3, Hylan Hall 1-3.

GLACIER RANGE RIDERS – Andy Atwood 2-4, Ben Fitzgerald 1-2, Christian Kirtley 0-3, Chad Castillo 2-3, Mason Dinesen 1-4, Nick Block 1-3, Ajay Sczepkowski 0-4, Nick Gore 1-4, JD McLaughlin 0-3.

2B – Atwood, Dinesen, Castillo 2. RBIs – Atwood, Castillo, Dinesen, Gore HR – Fritz (1), Atwood (4)