Range Riders top Mustangs, stop skid

BILLINGS – The Glacier Range Riders took advantage of Billings’ shaky first-inning defense for two runs and Gabe Howell homered in a 3-1 Pioneer League win over the Mustangs Saturday.

The loss snapped a five-game skid for the Range Riders (14-15 this half). 

Singles by TJ Clarkson and JT Mabry and a walk to Jake Millan loaded the bases for Glacier in the top of the first. Clarkson came in on Kingston Liniak’s grounder to third; Mustangs third baseman Xavier Casserilla stepped on third for the force, then made an errant throw. 

Howell followed with another grounder to third that was also misplayed. Millan scored for a 2-0 lead. 

Howell hit his sixth home run of the season in the sixth inning to make it 3-0. 

That was enough support for Glacier starting pitcher Luke Schafer and three relievers. Schafer pitched into the seventh inning, allowing six hits, two walks and one run. He fanned seven and left after AJ Shaver singled in Cameron Bowen, who had tripled, for Billings (14-15). 

Davis Pratt got the last two outs in that frame, and Nick Zegna and Luke Cooper split the eighth and ninth. Cooper fanned three Mustangs and picked up his third save. 

Glacier    200    001    000    -    3    8    0 

Billings    000    000    100    -    1    8    3

Luke Schafer, Davis Pratt (7), Nick Zegna (8), Luke Cooper (9) and Angel Mendoza. Jaden Harris, Daniel Foster (5), CJ Colyer (9) and Charlie Muniz. 

GLACIER RANGE RIDERS — TJ Clarkson 2-5, JT Mabry 2-5, Jack Lynch 0-4, Jake Millan 0-3, Kingston Liniak 0-4, Gabe Howell 2-4, Kenneth Levari 1-2, Logan Beard 1-1, Carson Garner 0-4, Mendoza 0-4. 

BILLINGS MUSTANGS — John McHenry 1-5, Tyler Shelnut 0-3, Charlie Muniz 0-3, Chase Hanson 0-0, Casey Sorg 1-4, Cameron Bowen 1-4, Xavier Casserilla 1-4, AJ Shaver 3-4, Patrick Mills 0-3, Efrain Manzo 0-1, Jack O’Dowd 1-1, Briley Knight 0-0. 

2B — Casserilla. 3B — Bowen. HR — Howell. RBIs — Liniak, Howell, Shaver.