Ballers spoil Pintaro’s gem
The visiting Oakland Ballers played spoiler at Glacier Bank Park Wednesday night with a 3-2 win over the Glacier Range Riders. Range Riders starting pitcher Jonathan Pintaro pitched seven scoreless innings while racking up 10 strikeouts, one shy of the franchise record before the Ballers strung together three runs across the final two frames to steal a win.
Myles Jefferson had two hits for Oakland and came around to score to put the Ballers on the board in the top of the eighth inning when Glacier pitcher Jack Lynch walked Dondrei Hubbard with the bases loaded making things 1-1. Jaylen Smith stepped to the plate next and knocked in another Ballers run with a sacrifice fly to right field to give Oakland a 2-1 lead.
The Riders retaliated in the bottom half of the inning with two out rally sparked by a Benjamin Fitzgerald double. Fitzgerald would then come around to score when Nick Block tripled to even the score at 2-2.
The Ballers took advantage of a Range Riders error in the top of the ninth to string together the winning run. Dan Covino singled then reached second on an error before Coleton Horner stepped in the box and singled to make things 3-2.
Bradley Burdett tossed a scoreless bottom of the ninth for the Ballers to seal the win.
Fitzgerald had two hits on the day and also came around to score the Riders other run on a Gavin Tonkel single in the fourth.
Oakland 000 000 021 - 3 8 0
Glacier 000 100 010 - 2 7 2
Jonathan Pintaro, Jerome Huntzinger (8), Jack Lynch (8) and Freddy Guilamo, Cameron Cowan (9) and Drew Sims. Tyler Davis, Aaron Eden (3), Elijah Pleasants (6), Bradley Burdett (9), and Coleton Horner.
OAKLAND — Payton Harden 2-5, Austin Davis 0-3, Dondrei Hubbard 1-3, Jaylen Smith 0-3, Noah Martinez 1-4, Dan Covino 1-4, Coleton Horner 1-4, Brad Burckel 0-3, Myles Jefferson 2-4.
GLACIER — Andy Atwood 2-5, Mason Dinesen 0-4, Chad Castillo 0-4, Christian Kirtley 0-4, Ben Fitzgerald 2-4, Nick Block 2-3, Freddy Guilamo 0-2, Drew Sims, Gavin Tonkel 1-3, Joe McLaughlin 0-4.
2B — Jefferson. Atwood, Fitzgerald. 3B — Block. RBI — Hubbard, Smith, Horner. Block, Tonkel.