A Night of Firsts Shoots Glacier to First Sweep of the Season
IDAHO FALLS, ID. - Jake Millan crushed the first two home runs of his professional career and drove in two runs to lead the Glacier Range Riders past the Idaho Falls Chukars, 12-10, on Thursday at Melaleuca Field. Millan's solo shots in the third and ninth innings helped cap a high-octane offensive performance and complete Glacier's first series sweep of the season.
It also marked the Range Riders' fourth straight victory — their longest winning streak of the year.
Glacier jumped out early with a four-run second inning, sparked by a Jack Lynch solo homer, a TJ Clarkson sacrifice fly, an RBI single from JT Mabry, and a Chukars error that plated another run.
Eli Paton joined the homer parade with the first long ball of his professional career in the fifth, and Donovan Ratfield followed with a three-run blast in the seventh — also his first as a pro — that gave Glacier a commanding lead. Ratfield's homer came on the eighth pitch of a hard-fought at-bat.
Idaho Falls answered with long balls of their own, including a two-run shot from Garret Ostrander in the sixth, but Glacier's offense stayed relentless. Millan's second homer of the night in the ninth gave the Range Riders critical insurance.
Nick Ferazzi picked up his first professional win in relief, tossing a clean, hitless inning with one strikeout. Nick Zegna closed the door with the save. Starter Sean Brennan worked 4.1 innings, allowing four runs (three earned), while Luke Cooper, Jason Franks, and Ethan O'Neal also contributed in relief.
Glacier racked up 14 hits in total. Millan and Paton each recorded three hits, while Clarkson and Lynch had multi-hit games. Ratfield led the team with three RBIs.
Benjamin Rosengard went 4-for-5 to pace Idaho Falls' 11-hit effort, and Ostrander drove in three from the eight-spot.
The red-hot Range Riders will carry their momentum into Missoula on Friday as they face the Paddleheads in their final series of the regular season.
