Bartkoski Earns First Pro Win as Range Riders Roll Past Mustangs

KALISPELL, Mont. - The Glacier Range Riders broke the game open with a six-run third inning and rolled past the Billings Mustangs, 9-3, on Wednesday night at Glacier Bank Park. The victory was Glacier's second straight after snapping a nine-game losing streak in the series opener.

Glacier jumped ahead with two runs in the bottom of the first and another in the second. Donovan Ratfield helped build the early advantage with an RBI double and a sacrifice fly, giving the Range Riders a 3-0 lead.

Billings pulled within a run by scoring twice in the top of the third, but the Range Riders immediately answered with their biggest inning of the night. Glacier sent six runs across in the bottom half, highlighted by Logan Beard's bases-clearing, three-run double, to turn a one-run game into a commanding 9-2 advantage.

Beard finished 3-for-3 to lead the Range Riders' eight-hit attack. Glacier also showed patience throughout the night, drawing 10 walks from four Billings pitchers despite being outhit 9-8.

Will Bartkoski earned the victory in his professional debut, securing the first win of his pro career out of the Glacier bullpen. After Billings scored twice in the third, Bartkoski and the rest of the Range Riders' relief corps combined to allow only one run on four hits over the final 6 2/3 innings.

The Mustangs added their final run in the sixth, but Glacier kept them off the scoreboard over the final three innings to close out the second consecutive victory.

The Range Riders will look to make it three straight wins when they continue the series against Billings on Thursday at Glacier Bank Park.