Voyagers outlast Range Riders Tuesday, 12-9
GREAT FALLS — Trey Cruz hit a three-run double, Kyle Schmack scored four times and the Great Falls Voyagers held off the Glacier Range Riders 12-9 in Pioneer League baseball Tuesday at Centene Stadium.
Cruz’s double highlighted a five-run fifth inning that put the Voyagers (16-21 this half) up 10-4. They’d already chased Glacier starter Ty Bothwell from the game with one out in that frame; Ethan O’Neil came on in relief, got a strikeout and then issued three straight walks — forcing in two runs — before Cruz doubled down the right field line.
Great Falls also got two-run singles from Tommy Specht and Jeff Nicol in a four-run third inning to go up 5-3. That answered a three-run burst by the Range Riders, highlighted by Eli Paton’s two-run single.
Glacier (17-20) scored four times in the seventh, with Jack Lynch hitting a three-run home run, to cut the gap to 10-8. The Voyagers answered again in their half, Cooper Vest hitting an RBI triple and then scoring for a 12-8 lead. Both starters struck out one batter.
Bothwell allowed seven hits, four walks, and hit four batters. Great Falls starter Brendan Moody got the win despite allowing 12 hits and eight earned runs in 6 2-3 innings.
The teams battled again Wednesday night. They’ll play in Great Falls Thursday then start a three-game set at Glacier Bank Park on Friday.
Glacier 003 100 410 - 9 12 0
Great Falls 104 050 20x - 12 11 2
Ty Bothwell, Ethan O’Neal (5), Connor Housley (5), Luke Cooper (7), Nick Zegna (8) and Angel Mendoza. Brendan Moody, Mitchell Grannan (7), Cam Cowen (8), Wyatt Cameron (9) and Jeff Nicol.
GLACIER RANGE RIDERS —TJ Clarkson 2-4, Eli Paton 2-5, Jack Lynch 2-5, Hake Millan 0-3, Kingston Liniak 0-5, Gabe Howell 1-4, Logan Beard 1-4, John Mabry 3-4, Mendoza 1-3, Kenneth Levari 0-1.
GREAT FALLS VOYAGERS — AJ Fritz 0-4, Kyle Schmack 1-1, Cooper Vet 2-2, Trey Cruz 2-5, Emilio Corona 1-4, Aidan Redahan 1-3, Nicol 2-4, Jardon Hamberg 0-5.
2B — Cruz. 3B — Vest. HR — Lynch. RBIs — Lynch 3, Paton 2, Clarkson, Beard, Mendoza, Cruz 4, Specht 3, Nicole 2, Vest 2, Schmack.