Roller Homers Twice As Raptors Clinch First Half Title Tie
At the outset of play Thursday night, the Ogden Raptors need just a win or an Idaho Falls loss to clinch a tie for the first-half Pioneer League South division title.While the Chukars made a comeback in the ninth inning to negate that end of the formula, the Raptors cruised
At the outset of play Thursday night, the Ogden Raptors need just a win or an Idaho Falls loss to clinch a tie for the first-half Pioneer League South division title.
While the Chukars made a comeback in the ninth inning to negate that end of the formula, the Raptors cruised to a 9-4 victory over the Missoula Osprey to ensure the Chukars couldn't pass Ogden at the end of the first half.
Five runs scored in two long innings to begin the game, and
With one out in the first,
In the second, Roller was hit by a pitch and stole second. With two out, Vargas singled up the middle to drive him in. Hulsizer then ripped a double off the left field fence, bringing up
The Raptors loaded the bases with no one out in the third but didn't score, and they stranded one in the fourth. In the fifth, Roller led off with a 407 foot blast to left, his third homer of the year. He did it again with one out in the seventh, going 376 feet to left-center to become the second Raptors hitter to homer twice in one game (the first was Drew Avans, who also did it against Missoula on July 11 at Lindquist Field).
Another run scored in the eighth, as Paulson doubled down the left field line before coming around on a
The lead was well in hand when Missoula put up four in the bottom of the eighth to cut the advantage in half to make it 8-4.
In the ninth, Avans and Vargas both singled and another balk was called with Brito at the plate to allow Avans to score.
Ogden completes their three-game series at Missoula, and the season series, Friday night at 7:15.