Liniak wins KO Round to lift Range Riders

IDAHO FALLS — It’s good to be Kingston. 

Kingston Liniak, the Glacier Range Riders’ career home run leader, belted three home runs in the Knockout Round Friday night to lift his team over Idaho Falls in Pioneer League action. 

Glacier pitcher Ty Bothwell pitched seven innings, garnering eight strikeouts to push his season total to 130 — most since the PBL became an independent league in 2021.  

The old record was 129, set by Missoula’s Alfredo Villa in 2023. 

The win stopped a two-game skid for the Range Riders, who got a three-run home run from Jake Millan and a two-run shot from Angel Mendoza to lead the Chukars 6-3 in the fourth inning.  

It was Millan’s fourth homer in 32 games with the Range Riders (22-25 this half); Mendoza’s was his eighth. 

The Chukars (27-20 this half) pulled even with a two-run triple from Anthony Mata in their half of the fourth inning. Garret Ostrander — who’d walked with two out, then moved to third on a single — scored on a passed ball in the eighth. 

That left it up to Liniak, who drove three pitches out of the park while Gabe Vasquez hit just one out for Idaho Falls.

Liniak has hit 41 home runs in three seasons with Glacier; Saturday marked his last game with the club, as he will age out of the PBL. 

Bothwell allowed seven hits, three walks and four earned runs.

Despite the loss Idaho Falls (54-40 overall) still clinched a berth in the Pioneer League playoffs. The Ogden Raptors (52-41) will join the Chukars and first-half winners Missoula and Oakland in the postseason. 

Thursday 

Chukars 14, Riders 4 

Trevor Rodgers, hitting .380, led an 18-hit Idaho Falls attack with a 4-for-6 day at the plate, including a double and his 28th home run.  

Kirkland Banks went 4-for-5 for Idaho Falls. 

Eli Paton doubled and drove in three runs for the Range Riders.  

Wednesday 

Chukars 11, Riders 4 

Liniak and Millan both homered in this one, with Liniak’s two-run shot, his 13th season, drawing the Range Riders to 6-4 in the third inning. They didn’t score again. 

Jacob Jablonski hit his 17th home run for Idaho Falls and Eddie Pelc added a two-run shot, his third home run.