Range Riders Outlast Missoula in Back-and-Forth Thriller

MISSOULA, MT. – The Glacier Range Riders (20-13) have officially won their first game in Missoula. After a scrappy battle and gutsy effort from the visiting side, Glacier stranded a tying run just 90 feet short to escape Ogren Park at Allegiance Field with a 9-8 victory over the Missoula Paddleheads (26-9). Five different pitchers contributed to the victory, while an all-around team offense showing inched just enough runs across the board to ensure the win.

The Paddleheads struck first with a two-out RBI single in the opening frame, but it was the Range Riders with the strong answer as Gabe Howell and Jackson Raper had back-to-back jacks in the second to go up 2-1. Unfortunately, the Paddleheads would string together five hits in the fourth and get four runs across to regain the lead, this time at three runs. Jonathan Pintaro stayed in the game one more inning, though, and pitched a crucial 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth.

In the bottom of the sixth, John Natoli was tasked with silencing a rowdy Missoula crowd during their popular peanut inning, and he did just that. Natoli got into some hot water after a two-out walk pushed a runner to second but induced a pop foul out for a big third out. With a deflated, peanut-free crowd, the Range Riders struck for four in the seventh. First, Mason Dinesen ripped a triple to left center, then Dinesen would score on a miraculous play where he eluded a tag at home to reach over the attempt and slap the plate before being called out. Missoula manager Michael Schlact disagreed with the call, letting the home plate umpire hear everything he had to say before being ejected and stomping off to the clubhouse.

The next at-bat was an error at second base that allowed Howell to get home and score a run, before Dean Miller knocked an RBI single through the right side of the infield and tied the game up. Ben McConnell pinch ran for Miller and found himself going all the way around the bases to eventually score the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.

In the bottom of the inning, three one-out walks put Glacier and pitcher Joe Kinsky back in trouble, but Joe-Cool would not be bothered. The rookie struck out the next batter and got a fly-out to right to escape the bases loaded jam unscathed. In the eighth, the Range Riders added what would end up being the game-winning runs thanks to a first pitch blast from Crews Taylor which just looped inside the left field foul pole.

Riders then held a four-run lead, but it is never that easy in Missoula. The Paddleheads slapped a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth before Roy Robles regained control of the inning, eventually getting a strikeout to strand a tying run on second.

In the ninth, Justin Coleman had no margin for error. He first faced a pinch-hitting appearance from defending PBL MVP and home run king Jayson Newman, but downed him like a pro. After going up 0-2, Coleman got him to ground out to first baseman Dean Miller. Coleman then got what looked to be an easy ground out to second before it hit a bad hop on the dirt and allowed the Missoula player to reach. A stolen base and an error later, the tying run was 90 feet away with one out. Coleman stayed composed on the mound, getting a crucial strikeout before disposing of the league leader in batting average for the final out thanks to a great running catch in left field by Nick Lucky. It was Coleman's third save of the season and he silenced a sold-out Missoula crowd and celebrated the Riders first-ever win in franchise history in Zootown.

The Range Riders and Paddleheads play a rubber match tomorrow as Glacier looks to become the first team this season to take a series in Missoula. First pitch is set for 2:05 PM.