Riders held to 4 hits in Wednesday loss

by Daily Inter Lake
| June 28, 2024 12:00 AM

MISSOULA – The Range Riders bats were stifled for only four hits in a 5-3 loss against the Missoula PaddleHeads at Allegiance Stadium on Wednesday night.

Range Riders’ starter Cullen Kafka gave up all five runs in the first three innings and was pulled from the game with no outs in the fourth inning. The bullpen did their job, not allowing any runs over the next five innings to keep the game within reach, but the Range Riders couldn’t capitalize.

Ben Fitzgerald hit a solo home run, his fifth of the season, to make it a 5-1 game. Gabe Howell, who joined the Range Riders last week, hit his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to trim the deficit to 5-3 in the fifth. The Range Riders were shut out over the final four frames to end the game.

Howell rejoined the Range Riders after spending time with the Savannah Bananas and the Lexington Legends of the Atlantic League. He was on the Range Riders last season and led the team with a .418 OBP. Wednesday was his third appearance this year.

Missoula, who has the best lineup in the Pioneer League, hit three home runs to add on to their league-leading 58. Adam Fogel hit his 13th home run of the season and now leads the Pioneer League in home runs and batting average.

With the loss, the Range Riders fell into a tie for second place and are now five games behind Missoula for the top seed. The top two seeds are guaranteed a playoff spot when the first half of the season ends on July 16.

The Range Riders (20-12) will play the PaddleHeads (25-7) four more times before heading home to take on the Great Falls Voyagers.

Glacier 000 120 000 -- 3 4 0

Missoula 102 200 000 -- 5 10 0

Cullen Kafka (4), Aidan McEvoy, Seth Pinkerton (7), Jack Lynch (8) and Nick Gore. Jonathan Clark (6), Noah McBride (7), Arman Sabouri (8), Ethan Swanson (9) and Luis Navarro.

GLACIER RANGE RIDERS – Andy Atwood 0-4, Gabe Howell 1-5, Chad Castillo 0-2, Christian Kirtley 0-2, Mason Dinesen 0-4, Ben Fitzgerald 1-3, Gavin Tonkel 0-4, Nick Gore 1-2, Ajay Sczepkowski 1-4.

MISSOULA PADDLEHEADS – Patrick Chung 2-4, Roberto Pena 0-4, Alec Sanchez 1-2, Adam Fogel 2-4, Mike Rosario 1-4, Collin Runge 1-4, Josh Elvir 2-4, Luis Navarro 1-4, Kamron Willman 0-3.

2B – Chung. HR – Howell (1), Fitzgerald (5). Runge (3), Elvir (2), Fogel (13). RBIs – Fitzgerald, Howell 2. Runge, Elvir, Fogel 2.