Bend Don’t Break: Riders Rally for Sunday Win

FLATHEAD VALLEY, MT. – The Glacier Range Riders (46-36) fell behind 6-0 early Sunday afternoon, but not even the Missoula Paddleheads (60-24) could restrict the Range Rider offense in a monumental comeback to take the series finale 9-7. The biggest play of the game was without a doubt the Kingston Liniak grand slam in the bottom of the fourth.

Two two-run homers by Missoula pushed four across before the Paddleheads added two more with runs in the third and fourth. However, Glacier wasn't going to roll over and play dead. A Crews Taylor walk, a Jackson Raper single, and an Austin Bates hit-by-pitch loaded 'em up for Liniak with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. After a hard swing down the left field line was called just foul, the Glacier center fielder launched the next pitch over the wall for the first grand slam of his career.

Just like that, the Range Riders were back in it and in the fifth they tied it up on a Christian Kirtley solo homer and a Mason Dinesen RBI single. Missoula got the lead back in the next half inning, but that set the stage for some eighth inning magic from the Range Riders. Bates notched a one-out single then pinch runner Gabe Howell was pushed to second on a Liniak single. With two outs, it was Miller time. Dean Miller cranked an RBI single to plate Howell and tie the game, then a wild pitch scored Liniak and put Glacier in front. Kirtley rounded out the scoring with a double that got across Miller.

In the ninth, Montana Quigley entered the game to clinch his first save as a Range Rider and after allowing a leadoff single, he struck out the Missoula number three batter to get one down. Missoula then grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the contest as a Glacier victory. The two teams officially split the six-game series at Glacier Bank Park.

Glacier will now head to Idaho Falls for four games in three days against the Chukars before returning back home on Friday night to start the final homestand of the 2023 regular season.