Fritz goes deep twice, Voyagers down Range Riders

by Daily Inter Lake
| June 28, 2025 12:00 AM

AJ Fritz hit a three-run home run in the top of the ninth to seal an 8-4 victory for the Great Falls Voyagers over the Glacier Range Riders Friday at Glacier Bank Park.

Fritz’s blast — his second of the game and third of the season — extended the Great Falls (6-28) lead in the final frame to give them their third win out of four in the series.

Great Falls jumped on the Range Riders (12-22) early to the tune of three solo homers in their first three at bats. As Emilio Corona, Fritz and Roman Kuntz each went deep in the top of the first.

Glacier worked their way even with a run in each of the first three innings, highlighted by an Efrain Manzo big fly to left center in the second.

After both teams added a run, Great Falls found the go-ahead RBI on a Frank Podkul sacrifice fly that scored Kuntz to make it 5-4.

Jared Engman started for the Range Riders, going four innings and allowing four runs on five hits. He fanned four.

Jacob Hesty picks up the loss, allowing one run in 1-3 inning of work.

CJ Czerwinski started and went five innings for the Voyagers, allowing three runs on five hits. He struck out five.

Great Falls 300 100 013 - 8 9 0

Glacier 111 000 100 - 4 8 0

CJ Czerwinski, Kody Putnam (6), Anthony Swenda (7), Braden Forsyth (8) and Jeff Nicol. Jared Engman, Noah Owen (5), Jacob Hasty (8), Jason Franks (8), Luke Cooper (9) and Angel Mendoza.

GREAT FALLS VOYAGERS — Emilio Corona 1-5, AJ Fritz 2-5, Roman Kuntz 1-4, Tommy Specht 1-4, Frank Podkul 0-3, Ryley Preece 1-4, Kody Putnam 0-4, Jeff Nicol 1-3, Armando Albert 2-3.

GLACIER RANGE RIDERS — Gabe Howell 2-4, Logan Beard 1-4, TJ Clarkson 1-4, Xavier Casserilla 1-1, Kingston Liniak 0-4, Jack Lynch 0-4, Kenneth Levari 2-4, Efrain Manzo 1-2, Trevor Baker 0-0, Angel Mendoza 0-4.

2B — Albert. Beard, Levari. 3B — Preece. HR — Corona (1), Fritz 2 (3), Kuntz (10). Manzo (2). RBIs — Fritz 4, Corona, Kuntz, Podkul, Putnam. Casserilla 3, Manzo.

Thursday

Great Falls 9, Glacier 8

Roman Kuntz’s ninth inning fielder's choice brought in the go-ahead run for the Voyagers in a 9-8 victory Thursday at Glacier Bank Park.

The play brought Jeff Nicol home as the Voyagers scored two in the frame to overturn a one-run deficit.

Glacier took a 5-2 lead after three thanks to four RBI singles in the inning, capped off by a two-run hit to center from Jack Lynch.

Great Falls answered in the sixth with a three-run homer from AJ Fritz to take a 6-5 lead.

The see-saw affair continued as Glacier went back in front on a Kyle Ashworth bunt single in the eighth that scored Efrain Manzo before Great Falls took the lead for good.

Nick Zegna picks up the loss for the Range Riders after allowing both runs in the ninth inning. Rayne Supple started and went 3 2-3 innings, giving up four hits and three runs. He struck out one and walked five.

Frederick Romano started for Great Falls and went two innings. He allowed five runs on eight hits and struck out one. Wyatt Cameron picked up the win after throwing two no hit innings in relief.

Great Falls 200 103 102 - 9 12 2

Glacier 005 000 120 - 8 13 2

Frederick Romano, Daniel Batcher (3), Danny Galvan (6), Nolan Pender (7), Wyatt Cameron (8) and Jeff Nicol. Rayne Supple, Eldridge Armstrong III (4), Luke Cooper (6), Jason Franks (7), Nick Zegna (9), Davis Pratt (9) and Antonio Barranca.

GREAT FALLS VOYAGERS — Emilio Corona 1-1, AJ Fritz 2-3, Anthony Swenda 0-4, Roman Kuntz 1-6, Tommy Specht 3-5, Frank Podkul 1-4, Freddy Rojas Jr. 0-4, Kody Putnam 1-4, Jeff Nicol 3-4, Trey Cruz 0-3.

GLACIER RANGE RIDERS — Gabe Howell 1-5, Logan Beard 1-4, TJ Clarkson 1-5, Xavier Casserilla 2-5, Kingston Liniak 3-4, Jack Lynch 2-5, Kenneth Levari 1-4, Efrain Manzo 1-4, Antonio Barranca 0-3, Kyle Ashworth 1-1.

2B — Kuntz, Nicol. Casserilla, Manzo. 3B — Nicol. HR — Fritz (1). RBIs — Fritz 5, Kuntz 3. Lynch 2, Beard, Clarkson, Casserilla, Liniak, Manzo.