Range Riders beat Coast in game shortened by unhealthy air

Jacob Steele clubbed a three-run double in the first inning, Zach Longshore threw six solid innings and the Glacier Range Riders took 4-2 victory from Long Beach in a Pioneer League game shortened by wildfire smoke.

The teams played six full innings before stopping; Longshore (1-0) allowed seven hits, one walk and two earned runs — one on Easton Jones’ double and another on a wild pitch. He struck out four hitters. 

Glacier (6-17 this half) loaded the bases quickly in the first — Kyle Ashworth was hit by a pitch, Logan Beard singled and Brock Vradenburg walked — before Steele cleared them with a one-out double.  

That’s all the runs the Range Riders needed, though Tommy Rover singled in JD McLaughlin, who had hit a leadoff double, in the sixth inning. 

Steele’s two hits Saturday made him 19 for 34 (.559) at the plate in his last 11 games. He leads the Range Riders in RBIs with 57.

Jacob Jablonski had two hits for the Coast (16-7).  

Glacier has won two of the last three games from Long Beach. The teams are set to complete a six-game series on Sunday at Glacier Bank Park. First pitch is at 1:05 p.m. 

Long Beach    000    101    -    2    7    1 

Glacier    300    001    -    4    8    1

Matthew O’Brien, Steven Ordorica (6) and David Whittle. Zach Longshore and B Tibbits. 

LONG BEACH COAST — Ben Rosengard 0-3, Emilio Corona 0-3, Cooper Vest 1-3, Jacob Jablonski 2-3, Easton Jones 1-2, Patrick Roche Jr. 0-3, David Whittle 1-2, Anthony Mata 0-2, Robert Pitts 2-2. 

GLACIER RANGE RIDERS — Kyle Ashworth 1-2, Logan Beard 1-4, Brock Vradenburg 1-2, Carson Garner 1-4, Jacob Steele 2-3, Jake Millan 0-3, JD McLaughlin 1-3, B Tibbits 0-2, Tommy Rover 1-3. 

2B — Jones, Steele, McLaughlin. RBIs — Jones, Steele 3, Rover.