Ballers Improve to 2-0 with 3-2 Win

By Tyler Petersen

KALISPELL, Mont.

For the second night in a row, the Oakland Ballers came out on top of a dramatic one-run game, this time by the score of 3-2.

Unlike the powerful offensive displays on Opening Night, Wednesday brought cold bats that went hand-in-hand with the cold weather. A pitcher's duel was in store tonight between the Oakland staff and Glacier starter Jonathan Pintaro.

Pintaro was extremely effective from the get-go, striking out the first three batters he faced with high heat. The Ballers countered first on the mound with Tyler Davis, who pitched the first two innings of the game, only allowing three walks.

The first run of the game came in the fourth for the Range Riders on an RBI single by Gavin Tonkel off Aaron Eden. With the exception of the run, Eden was very strong in his Oakland debut out of the 'pen, tossing three innings of one-run ball.

The Ballers could not figure out Pintaro, who carried his scoreless outing all the way through the seventh inning, striking out 10 along the way. The best chance for the B's came in the top of the sixth, when they had runners on second and third and one out, but left them both stranded.

In the eighth though, Pintaro departed due to his pitch count and Oakland went to work. Jerome Huntzinger came out of the bullpen and hit the first man he faced, Brad Burckel. Myles Jefferson followed with a sharp single to the outfield and Payton Harden bunted his way on base. With the bases loaded, Glacier made another change, opting for Jack Lynch.

After getting an out on a fielder's choice, Dondrei Hubbard drew a bases loaded walk, finally breaking the scoreless day for Oakland. The very next batter, Jaylen Smith, hit a sac fly to right, scoring Harden and giving the B's a 2-1 lead.

It did not last very long though as back-to-back extra base hits with two outs in the bottom of the frame tied the game at two apiece. Pleasants was able to strand the potential go-ahead run at third though, when he struck out Drew Sims for the final out of the eighth.

In the ninth Dan Covino led off with his first Ballers hit, a sharp single to right. While on first, Glacier reliever Cam Cowan threw the ball away on a pickoff attempt of Covino, and he was able to advance all the way to third. Coleton Horner took advantage of the situation and lined an opposite field single to give the Ballers a 3-2 lead.

Once again Oakland took a one-run lead into the bottom of the ninth, and they turned to Bradley Burdett to lock down the save in his first professional appearance. The submariner got the first two batters out before allowing a single and a walk. With the tying run in scoring position, he induced a flyout to centerfield to end the game.

The Ballers will now try to make it three in a row tomorrow with Zach St. Pierre getting the nod for the start. A win would secure at least a split in their inaugural six-game series.