Glacier Blasts Billings in First Shutout of Season

BILLINGS, MT. – The Glacier Range Riders (9-3) just kept the train rolling. In unrelenting fashion, they once again laid down the hammer on the Billings Mustangs (3-11), suffocating the offense to only three hits thanks to a stellar start from Jonathan Pintaro, and scoring double-digit runs to roll to an 11-0 victory. This was the largest win of the season, the first shutout of the season, and just the sixth in franchise history.

For the second night in a row, Gabe Howell got on base to lead off the game, and it was Jackson Raper that ripped a single to score him with two outs. In the second, it was Howell picking up the RBI, pushing across Mason Dinesen with two outs. Two innings later, Howell did it again, this time driving in Dinesen and Matt Clayton to make it 4-0. Dean Miller followed it up with a knock to score Howell and make it an even five.

In the fifth, two more Range Riders got across in very different ways. First, Ben Fitzgerald hit his fifth home run of the season, a high shot down the left field line. Then Glacier stuffed the bases for Crews Taylor who earned himself a bases loaded walk and made it 7-0.

The final runs for the visitors came in the top of the ninth when Taylor earned another bases loaded walk and Raper looped a double into left field that cleared the bases and made it 11.

Pintaro was nearly untouchable on the mound, carving up the Mustangs like somebody just handed him the knife on Thanksgiving. The rookie went six innings allowing just one hit, no earned runs, and striking out six. The bullpen also delivered the shutout. Drew Holweger had a five-pitch 1-2-3 inning in the seventh, Lyle Hibbits got himself out of a bases loaded jam in the eighth, and Ryan Cloude struck out two to lock up the goose egg in the bottom of the ninth.

Altogether, the Range Riders held the Mustangs to just three hits and struck them out nine times. They were only able to get two runners to second, and one runner to third in the contest. With the win, the Range Riders have now won four straight and also even the all-time series with Billings at 13 games apiece.

The Range Riders can lock up a series split with a win tomorrow, June 8^th. First pitch is schedule for 6:35 PM at Dehler Park in Billings. You can listen live at 1240 AM, 102.7 FM, or SAM1240.com.