Riders lose pitchers’ duel in series finale

BILLINGS — A pitchers’ duel went the way of the Billings Mustangs Sunday afternoon, with Charlie Muniz’ two-run, eighth-inning single the deciding blow in a 3-2 Pioneer League win over the Glacier Range Riders.

All the runs came against Glacier starter Aidan Elfering, who had thrown seven sparkling innings: three hits, one walk and zero runs. He ended up with six hits allowed and four strikeouts. 

After he gave up a double and two singles to open the eighth Alex Bustamante took over on the mound, and he allowed the Muniz single with one out. 

The Range Riders (14-8) built a 2-0 lead on Tommy Rover’s sacrifice fly in the third inning and Kyle Ashworth’s RBI single in the fifth. In the ninth they were able to load the bases with three walks (one intentional); Billings’ second pitcher of the inning, Lucas Hartman, closed things out. 

The win gave the league-leading Mustangs (18-5) a 4-2 series win; Rover homered and drove in five runs as the Range Riders won an 18-11 slugfest Saturday night. 

Glacier stays on the road for three games at Great Falls, starting Tuesday. The Range Riders then open up a 9-game series with a three-game set against Missoula beginning Friday. 

Glacier    001    010    000    -    2    3    0 

Billings    000    000    0cx    -    3    7    0

Aidan Elfering, Alex Bustamane (8) and Donovan Ratfield. David Hankins, CJ Colyer (8), Carlos Anziani (9), Lucas Hartman (9) and Kyle Micklus. 

GLACIER RANGE RIDERS — Alex Fernandes 2-4, Kyle Ashworth 1-4, Tommy Rover 0-3, Raftield 0-4, Andrew Collins 0-0, Carson Hornung 0-3, Jake Millan 1-3, Joe McLaughlin 0-4, Carson Garner 1-2, Logan Beard 0-3, Edrick Felix 0-0. 

BILLINGS MUSTANGS — Cameron Bowen 0-4, Charlie Muniz 1-4, Michael Soper1-4, Demias Jimerson 2-4, Jack Nehler 0-3, Jacob Gutierrez 0-3, Micklus 1-3, John McHenry 1-3, AJ Shaver 0-0, Bodee Wright 1-2. 

2B — Fernandes, Micklus. RBIs — Ashworth, Rove3r, Muniz 2, McHenry. 

Late Saturday: Range Riders 18, Ponies 11

Tommy Rover hit an RBI single that broke an 8-8 tie in the sixth inning for the Range Riders. 

Kyle Ashworth and Donovan Ratfield added RBI singles in the seventh for a 13-8 lead; Rover’s three-run homer, his fifth this season, put his team up 17-10 in the eighth. 

Carson Hornung had a double and triple, two runs and two driven in. Ashworth had three RBIs to go with four runs scored; Rover scored three times. 

Range Riders reliever Jack Maruskin struck out all four batters he faced in the ninth; one reached on a wild pitch. 

Glacier    110    243    241    -    18    18    0 

Billings    212    210    210    -    11    14    2

Evan Langston, Ryan Humphreys (5), Connor Housley (7), Jack Maruskin (9) and Ratfield. Harry Orth, Rijnaldo Euson (5), Hartman (6), Ritter Steinmann (7), Nate Naccarato (8) and Muniz. 

RANGE RIDERS — Fernandes 1-5, Ashworth 2-5, Rover 3-5, Ratfield 4-6, Millan 2-5, Hornung 3-4, McLaughlin 1-5, Ganrer 1-4, Beard 1-5. 

MUSTANGS — Bowman 2-5, Soper 1-4, Muniz 3-6, Jimerson 1-4, Adam Cootway 0-2, Wright 0-1, Micklus 1-5, Gutierrez 2-5, Nehler 3-5, McHenry 1-3. 

2B — Fernandes, Rover, Ratfield, Millan, Hornung, McLaughlin, Gutierrez. 3B — Hornung. HR — Rover (5), Bowen (7), Nehler (1). RBIs — Rover 5, Ashworth 3, Ratfield 2, Hornung 2, McLaughlin, Garner, Millan, Beard, Micklus 2, Nahler 2, Bowen, Soper, Muniz, Jimerson, Cootway, Gutierrez.