Ballers Notch Fourth Straight Victory in 11-5 Win
The Ballers collected a whopping 19 hits in their 11-5 triumph over the Glacier Range Riders on Thursday.
By Nevada Cullen
KALISPELL, Mont. -- The Ballers collected a whopping 19 hits in their 11-5 triumph over the Glacier Range Riders on Thursday. Nineteen is the most knocks in a game this season, and Oakland's four-game win streak is also a season best.
Davis Drewek paced the offense with a career-high four hits, including a two-run double in Oakland's four-run second inning. Michael O'Hara crushed a run-scoring double in the second, too.
Glacier quickly erased the deficit in the bottom of the second. Antonio Barranca slapped a three-run triple just over the first-base bag and scored on a passed ball to even the score at four.
After an Esai Santos double, Lou Helmig put the Ballers right back in front with an RBI groundout in the fourth. Helmig picked up two singles and a double on the night as well.
Two batters later, Cam Bufford, who launched five long balls in the knockout round the day prior, went deep again. This time, he turned around an inside fastball for a two-run tater to extend Oakland's advantage to 7-4.
The Range Riders came within two, but the Ballers picked up four more runs of insurance. Nick Leehey plated two of those four runs with an RBI knock in the seventh and a sacrifice fly in the ninth.
In just his fourth professional game, Leehey put on a show. All five of his at bats were productive, as he contributed three singles and three RBI on the evening.
Not to be outdone by the Oakland offense, the Ballers' defense sparkled in the sixth and seventh innings. Conner Richardson made two throws from his backside, the second of which to nab a runner at home. O'Hara helped him throw two scoreless frames with a leaping catch in left to end the seventh.
Reed Butz went five innings and claimed the win for the Ballers. Caleb Franzen put up a zero in the eighth and struck out the side against the same team that cut him in May. Carson Lambert shut the door in a perfect ninth, punching out a pair.
Oakland can clinch the series and pick up a fifth consecutive victory at 6:05 p.m. PDT on Friday. As always, you can listen to the action on 860 AM The Answer and on the Oakland Ballers YouTube channel.
