Sargent wins Knockout, Raptors defeat Glacier 7-6
Kevin Johnson, Ogden Raptors
Ogden Raptors catcher Chris Sargent swings at a pitch Monday, July 15, 2024, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, and with Ogden and Glacier combining to hit only 7 of 36 (.194) with runners in scoring position, Wednesday night’s game at Lindquist Field had produced just 10 combined runs despite 26 combined hits.
But Ogden’s Cole Jordan delivered one big hit to tie the game and send it to a Knockout Round tiebreaker, where Chris Sargent topped Glacier’s Chad Castillo 1-0 to give the Raptors a 7-6 home win.
The Raptors (39-53, 17-27 second half) trailed 6-4 entering the ninth inning. Pearce Howard singled, Drew Brutcher reached on a fielder’s choice and veteran Landen Barns cracked a double to put the tying run in scoring position.
That’s when Jordan came through, putting a single up the middle to score Brutcher and Jack Cone (pinch running for Barns) to tie it 6-6.
True Fontenot hit a fielder’s choice groundout to end regulation, setting up Sargent for his second Knockout win of the season for Ogden.
Glacier (46-46, 17-27) charged all its runs to Raptors starter Rafael Vazquez to take a 6-0 lead through four innings. Range Riders outfielder Ryan McCarthy hit a two-run homer in the third and an RBI double in the fourth to get the visitors the lead.
The Raptors tallied four runs in the fifth, capped with a bases-clearing Brutcher double, to make it 6-4.
Shane Gustafson (four innings) and Jon Rice (two innings) combined to hold Glacier to two hits over the final six innings, striking out nine and walking two.
Those two walks came with one out in the top of the ninth. Rice then hit a batter with two outs to load the bases but struck out Gabe Howell to end the threat and make the home team’s rally possible.
The two teams play again at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.