Jackson Raper’s Solo Shot Lifts Glacier to Win

FLATHEAD VALLEY, MT. – The Glacier Range Riders (14-11) escaped another close contest Thursday night, thanks to a clutch home run from Jackson Raper in the bottom of the eighth inning. That home run broke up a deadlock at five each, and gave Glacier a 6-5 win over the Great Falls Voyagers (8-17).

The Range Riders responded to two Great Falls runs in the first by tallying one in the bottom of the inning, thanks to an RBI groundout from Crews Taylor. In the second, it was Nick Lucky who scored on a wild pitch to match another Voyager run to put the game at 3-2 Great Falls. Both pitching staffs then settled in for the next four innings before the game zigzagged in the seventh.

First, Great Falls tallied two in the top of the inning, giving the visitors a three-run edge going into the seventh inning stretch. Then, the Range Riders found a way to answer, with a Ben Fitzgerald single and a Mason Dinesen double putting runners on second and third with two outs. In just his second career game, Nick Lucky lashed a ball beyond the dive of the Voyager second baseman and into the right center gap to plate two runs and hustle into second for a double. Lucky then stole third and was pushed across home on a hit from Ben McConnell.

After two outs thrown by Connor Housley in the eighth, Justin Coleman came on to pitch and helped escape a jam to send it tied to the bottom of the eighth. In that half inning, it was Raper's oppo blast down the left field line that sent Glacier Bank Park into a frenzy and set the table for a Range Riders win. Coleman finished the win with a 1-2-3 ninth including a strikeout looking to slam the door and finish the game. It was Coleman's second win as a professional.

The Range Riders are in Jammer Red Friday jerseys tonight with another game against the Voyagers, starting at 7:05 PM.