10-run fifth carries Range Riders over Mustangs
BILLINGS — The Glacier Range Riders are certainly hitting the baseball.
Jacob Steele, Tommy Rover and Joe McLaughlin all hit home runs — Steele’s was a grand slam — during a 10-run fifth inning that carried the Range Riders past the Billings Mustangs Friday, 17-9, in Pioneer League action.
Steele also hit a two-run double during Glacier’s three-run second inning; he finished with six runs batted in. Logan Beard Glacier (4-0) combined 10 hits with 14 walks issued by five Mustang pitchers.
It was 5-1 when the Range Riders sent 13 men to the plate in the fifth, starting with Kyle Singer, who reached on an error. Two walks later, Logan Beard hit a three-run double; two more walks followed, loading the bases for Steele.
His shot to center at Dehler Park made it 12-1, and following yet another walk to Donovan Ratfield, Rover hit a home run to right. Joe Miceli came on to pitch for Billings — the third pitcher of the inning — and got two outs before McLaughlin hit a solo shot to center for a 15-1 lead.
Billings (3-1) struck back for seven runs in the seventh inning, highlighted by a three-run triple from Bodee Wright and a two-run home run from Michael Soper.
A triple by Adam Cootway and a catcher’s interference led to Davis Pratt coming on in relief with one out.
Pratt’s wild pitch scored Cootway, cutting the gap to 15-8, but he finished out the game, allowing one run in the ninth. He walked five in his 2 2-3 innings but also struck out six.
Evan Langston started on the mound for Glacier and got the win, scattering six hits and a walk in five innings. He fanned five.
McLaughlin added some cushion with a two-run double in the eighth.
The teams battle two more times, Saturday and Sunday. Following a travel day the Range Riders will have their home opener Tuesday against Great Falls at Glacier Bank Park. First pitch is 6:35 p.m.
Glacier 022 01(10) 020 - 17 10 3
Billings 000 100 701 - 9 11 1
Evan Langston, Chris Canada (6), Brady Chavez (7), Davis Pratt (7) and Donovan Ratfield, Andrew Collins (8). Josh Tucker, Nate Naccarato (5), Ritter Steinmann (6), Joe Miceli (6), Nick Gottilla and Charlie Muniz, Sean Lynch (7).
GLACIER RANGE RIDERS — Joe McLaughlin 2-4, Logan Beard 1-5, Carson Garner 0-3, Jake Millan 0-3, Jacob Steele 2-5, Ratfield 2-4, Collins 0-0, Tommy Rover 2-6, Kyle Singer 0-5, Kayle Ashworth 1-3.
BILLINGS MUSTANGS — Cameron Bowen 0-4, John McHenry 0-3, Bodee Wright 2-3, Michael Soper 3-6, Adam Cootway 1-3, Muniz 1-3, Lynch 0-1, Pat Mills 1-4, CJ Valdez 0-3, Cameron Yuran 1-4, AJ Shaver 2-4.
2B — McLaughlin, Beard, Steele, Rover, Wright. 3B — Wright, Cootway, Shaver. HR — McLaughlin (2), Steele (1), Rover (1), Soper (1). RBIs — Steele 6, McLaughlin 3, Beard 3, Rover 3, Ratfield, Singer, Wright 3, Soper 2, Mills, Bowen, Shaver.