Ridge Run Baseball Signs More Players, Sells First Tickets
Until last week, Mike Knell didn’t know the Flathead Valley existed. He’s never been to Montana, and has only heard stories about the Last Best Place from a friend who recently moved to Bozeman. That all changed when he saw his phone flash “Montana” for an unknown number while awaiting
Until last week, Mike Knell didn’t know the Flathead Valley existed. He’s never been to Montana, and has only heard stories about the Last Best Place from a friend who recently moved to Bozeman.
That all changed when he saw his phone flash “Montana” for an unknown number while awaiting a call about his future in baseball.
“It threw me off because I didn’t know there was a team out there,” Knell said. “I always wanted to play professional baseball, so I was ready to go anywhere.”
Knell is the latest signee for the Flathead Valley’s new Pioneer League baseball team, currently called Ridge Run Baseball.
The 6-3 third baseman hails from Dennis, Mass., and recently finished a five-year career at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, where he was a two-time team captain. He spent the summer playing with the Wareham Gatemen in the Cape Cod Baseball League.
“It was a really cool experience to spend five years building my baseball character,” Knell said. “It gave me time to experience a whole new level of competition, and now I know I can compete at the next one.”
During his career at UMass Dartmouth, Knell hit .289 with 31 home runs, 116 RBI and had a .529 slugging percentage.
Knell attended an independent league tryout in New Jersey the week following Thanksgiving and said he put together a solid performance there. His discussions with one of the coaches gave him confidence that a call from a minor league team was in the works.
When it came, the call itself was short, and whether from excitement or a poor connection, Knell misheard the name of the team that offered him his first professional contract. He tweeted and wrote for the U-Mass Dartmouth athletics site about his excitement joining the “Flat Valley Ridge Run.”
“It really means a lot that they signed me on a new team,” he said. “It shows they expect to compete even though we’re brand new. I plan to help them really become a staple in the league in our first season.”
Along with Knell, Ridge Run Baseball has signed pitchers Drew Clavenna, Colton Williams, and Pierce Smith; and outfielders Cole Warken and Griffen Keller.
Fans have already begun to flock to the new team. On Dec. 17, Ridge Run Baseball began selling season tickets for next year’s home games.
According to general manager Erik Moore, more than 100 deposits were placed in the first two hours.
“We were so excited when the first one came through on email,” Moore said. “We just sat there hitting refresh over and over, just so thrilled to be able to get tickets sold.”
Construction continues uninterrupted on the Ridge Run Field stadium above Highway 93 north of Kalispell. Once complete, the stadium will have 2,500 permanent seats with a total capacity of 4,000.
“We are starting to build up instead of digging down which is nice to see,” Moore said. “We still lose some sleep at night with the crazy timeframe, but it’ll be ready.”
The team will spend three weeks on the road this spring before hosting the Billings Mustangs for its home opener on June 14.
In addition to hosting 48 home games during the season, Ridge Run Field will serve as an open events space for weddings, meetings, concerts and outdoor movies. Moore also said the fully synthetic playing surface can be converted to a football field.
The top question Moore has been fielding since the team was announced is when the official name and logo will be released. Moore confirmed that Ridge Run Baseball contracted with notable sports marketing company Brandiose, which was the firm behind the Missoula Paddleheads redesign along with the wildly popular, if somewhat unorthodox, Rocket City Trash Pandas and the Amarillo Sod Poodles.
Moore said the name, logo and mascot have been chosen and will be unveiled in January. The name will not be associated with a specific town in the Flathead Valley, adding to Ridge Run’s goal of uniting the community.
“I’m just really excited to be building something new that everybody is happy about,” Moore said. “It’s already bringing people together — nobody has anything to complain about. It doesn’t get more unifying and American than baseball.”
Grand Junction Rockies name Bobby Jenks Manager
Grand Junction, Colorado "We are excited to welcome Bobby back for his second season in Grand Junction. We look forward to a terrific season ahead with him as our manager." Team President Mick Ritter said. Jenks replaces Jimmy Johnson, who retired following the season. "This is my first time stepping
Former MLB Manager and Current Billings Manager, Jim Riggleman, to Attend Pioneer League Tryout Camp in Tucson
Former Cubs, Nationals, and Mariners manager to address players at April 1-4 tryout camp
From The Big Leagues to Indy Ball
Last month the Billings Mustangs welcomed veteran MLB manager and coach Jim Riggleman as their 2022 field manager. The PBL sat down with Jim to discuss the unique and twisting path he’s taken in his baseball career, most recently from the New York Mets all the way to Billings. In
Cory Snyder Announced as Manager of the Northern Colorado Owlz
_Former Major League star and Olympian to lead Pioneer League team after managing in USA, Mexico, and Taiwan _
Mustangs Name Jim Riggleman Club Manager
Five-Time MLB Manager to Serve as Skipper for the Mustangs
The Pioneer League Partnering with Pecos League for Pre-Season Tryout Camp
A Conversation with Pioneer League President and Pecos League Commissioner
Missoula PaddleHeads Pitcher is Stepping up to the Big Leagues
The Missoula PaddleHeads are coming off of a pretty strong baseball season - you know, if you consider winning the Pioneer League championship to be a pretty strong season! The PaddleHeads played some great baseball for their debut season, and obviously, somebody in the major leagues is taking notice -
Pioneer Baseball League and TicketSmarter Announce Historic Naming Rights Agreement
First-Ever Pro Baseball League to Sell Naming Rights; TicketSmarter Acquires Secondary Ticketing Rights to PBL
Chukars Bring Back Gardner and Milacki
The Idaho Falls Chukars announced that manager Billy Gardner Jr. and pitching coach Bob Milacki will return to Idaho Falls for the 2022 Pioneer League season. Gardner and Milacki are tasked with assembling this season’s Chukars team as they were last season. In 2021 they led Idaho Falls to a
White Sox Sign Infielder Jason Matthews to Minor League Deal
The lockout hasn’t stopped the White Sox from making minor league moves, and it appears that they’ve made yet another one. This week, the White Sox signed infielder Jason Matthews to a minor league deal. This was first reported by Matthews himself during an appearance on the Auckland Tuatara baseball
Ridge Run Baseball Announces New Team Name
Ridge Run Baseball News - As its new stadium begins to take shape in the Flathead Valley, Ridge Run Baseball announces the much-anticipated team brand. Emphasizing the local history, scenery and culture, the Glacier Range Riders will make their debut this spring season. Inspired by early 20th-century outdoorsmen patrolling the
Pioneer League Baseball Making Its Way to the Flathead Valley
KALISPELL — Starting in 2022, the Flathead Valley will have a Pioneer League baseball team and tickets are already being sold for this season's home games. "We are accepting the season ticket deposits right now you can get those at Ridgerunbaseball.com and look for our team name, launch branding and
PaddleHeads Retain Schlact as Manager in 6 Year Contract Extension
Missoula, MT. – The Missoula PaddleHeads Professional Baseball Club took on a new challenge during the 2021 season its first season as an independent franchise. It could not have been a more successful first season taking on the new format as the PaddleHeads would take home the 2021 Pioneer League
Holy Cow! Former Missoula Timberjack Jim Kaat Reaches Baseball Hall of Fame
Hours after his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame was announced Sunday, Jim Kaat wrote to let me know he's hoping to get his old Missoula manager, Jack McKeon, at the ceremony in July. What a proud, proud moment for Zootown professional baseball. Long before Kaat earned legendary status
Voyagers Ben Norman Singed By Chicago White Sox
November 29, 2021 - Voyagers outfielder Ben Norman's contract has been bought by the Chicago White Sox. Norman will participate in Spring Training with the White Sox in 2022 and is the first player to be signed to an MLB team since the Voyagers went independent in 2020. Norman had
Pioneer Baseball League Announces Spring 2022 Tryout Camp
April 1-4 Camp in Tucson
Former Billings Mustang Jonathan India National League Rookie of the Year
It didn't feel like Randy Arozarena was a rookie this season. Tampa Bay's speedy and powerful outfielder certainly didn't play like one, either. Arozarena won AL Rookie of the Year honors with a superb follow-up to his 2020 postseason heroics while Cincinnati Reds second baseman Jonathan India earned NL Rookie
Pioneer League Concludes Annual Meetings
Dodgers EVP, Janet Marie Smith, Delivers Keynote Address; Kim Klages Johns named PBL Executive of the Year
PBL Announces Postseason Award Winners
All Star Team, Award Winners and Stats Champs Announced
Flathead Valley PBL Team Home Opener is June 14
The Pioneer Baseball League released its 96-game schedule Thursday, and the expansion Flathead Valley squad will have its home opener on June 14 against the Billings Mustangs. Ridge Run Baseball, which is operating the fledgling club, is in the process of building a stadium just off McDermott Lane, adjacent to
Construction Underway for Pioneer League Stadium
Erik Moore and Chris Kelly, with Ridge Run Baseball, stand atop a berm overlooking the development of a baseball stadium for Kalispell's new Pioneer League team located at the former Montana Raceway Park along Highway 93 on Wednesday, Nov 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Pioneer Baseball League Announces 2022 Schedule
MLB Partner League Launches 96 Game Schedule on May 23rd, Two New Teams Added
Stories from the Pioneer League: Robbie Baker
Interview with former pitcher for the Pioneer Baseball League: Robbie Baker
Cubs Ink INF Alejandro Rivero Out of Pioneer League
According to a report from baseball writer and BBWAA member Francys Romero, the Chicago Cubs have signed infielder Alejandro Rivero to a contract. Rivero played three seasons of college baseball at St. Thomas University in Miami, Florida and spent the 2021 season with the Boise Hawks of the Pioneer League.