Lightning delay doesn't stop Voyagers from getting a win

Lightning delay doesn't stop Voyagers from getting a win

(Great Falls, Mt.) The Great Falls Voyagers ( 21-13) needed a win to secure themselves a series win in game 4 versus the Glacier Range Riders (12-21). The Voyagers secured the series and their fourth win in a row beating the Range Riders 10-7.

The game started off very nicely for the Voyagers as they gave starting pitcher, Quincy Jones a 4 run lead after the first inning. Breydon Daniel started the game off with a walk followed by a Jake Malec single to left. Malec went to second on a catchers indifference and Riley Jepson got on with a fielders choice in an attempt to get Daniel at home that failed. Michael Deeb drew a base on balls and Derek Kolbush pushed home two runs on a single to right. Deeb scored on a wild pitch to give the Voyagers their 4 runs.

The second saw Jones shut down the Range Riders once again while they put up one more run themselves. The run came on a Daniel solo home run over the right center field fence, giving the Voyagers a 5-0 lead after two innings.

Jones continued to dominate the Glacier hitters as he shut them down in the 3rd. The Voyager bats stayed hot though as they scored two in the 3rd. Deeb started the inning with a single to center and went to third base on a single to right by Kolbush, who went to second on the throw to third base to try and get Deeb out. Catcher, Will Olson, drove home two with a double giving the Voyagers a 7-0 lead after 3 innings.

The Range Riders were able to push one run across in the 4th but the Voyagers answered with two of their own in the bottom of the 4th. Collin Runge drew a walk, and stole second base. Riley Jepson hit a single to left and went to second on the throw home. Jepson was brought in on a single to right by Kolbush, giving the Voyagers a 9-1 lead after four innings.

The top of the 5th started with a base on balls to the Glacier catcher, Brenton Davis. Then the rain and lightning came. The rain never amounted to more than a slight drizzle, something the teams usually would have played through. The presence of lighting in the vicinity of Centene Stadium was a different issue however. After a brief 45 minute Lightening delay the tarps were removed from the field and play resumed.

The Range Riders were able to push two runs across in the 5th off of Jones. The Voyagers meanwhile were unable to score in an inning for the first time in the game, leaving the score at 9-3 after five.

The sixth inning saw both team push one run across with the Voyagers getting theirs on a double by Jepson who moved to third on a sacrifice fly by Deeb. A single to center field by Will Olson scored Jepson making it 10-4 after six.

The Voyagers were unable to score any more runs in the game, but the relief pitching proved more than up to the task in securing the win as CJ Grant-DeBose and Montana Quigley combined the last three innings to end up securing the win 10-7.

The Voyagers will go for five in a row, as they take on the Range Riders Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. See you at the ballpark!!

Written by Ross Drishinski