Taylor Leads the Way as Range Riders Blank Yuba 6-0
Kalispell, MT – The Glacier Range Riders found their third straight victory Thursday night when they downed the Yuba-Sutter High Wheelers by a score of 6-0 at Glacier Bank Park. Grant Taylor continued to assert himself as one of the best pitchers in the league with eight scoreless innings, allowing six hits, and walking only one.
After a scoreless first, Glacier would break the game open with a four-run bottom of the second. Kingston Liniak led off the inning with a single, before Gabe Howell followed right behind with a knock of his own. A fielder's choice and a walk loaded the bases up with one out for Donovan Ratfield who went after the first pitch to the tune of a two-run double down the left field line.
The next batter Kyle Ashworth screamed a ball into left field which was enough to cross Carson Garner, as well as Ratfield and make it 4-0 in the blink of an eye.
From there, Taylor put it in cruise control on the bump stifling any High Wheeler chances and keeping a goose egg in the scoring column for the visitors. Insurance runs came from hits off the bat of JT Mabry and Jack Lynch which built the lead to 6-0 by the end of the seventh inning. The Yuba offense didn't back down and put two on in the top of the eighth, but Taylor once again responded, first getting a tremendous catch by TJ Clarkson up against the wall in right, before finishing the inning with a strikeout and a flyout.
After a leadoff double in the ninth, Taylor exited to a standing ovation before Davis Pratt ensured the shutout with two strikeouts and a groundout in quick order. This was technically the second shutout of the year for the Range Riders against Yuba, however the first was a 0-0 tie that the High Wheelers won – thus make tonight's certainly feel better.
The next two weekends will host the final six games at Glacier Bank Park this season, don't miss 'em! Get your tickets at tickets.gorangeriders.com.
