GREAT FALLS, Mont. — Simon Baumgardt and Garret Ostrander combined for seven hits and three runs scored, Friday night at Voyager Stadium. The rest of the Idaho Falls offense added six hits and five runs, as the Chukars dropped a fifth consecutive game.
The Voyagers (13-33) entered this six-game first half-ending set carrying just nine wins this season. Great Falls has added four wins in as many days against the free-falling Chukars (26-19).
Idaho Falls is now 2-7 in July.
Despite their team’s two-week tailspin, both Baumgardt and Ostrander have been red-hot at the dish.
Ostrander has hit safely in all nine games this month, and boasts a .465 average (20-for-43) while clubbing three of his five homers over that span. He is now slashing .438/.508/.621 for the season.
Baumgardt is similarly scorching. In the Chukars last 15 games, the third baseman has recorded 19 hits in 50 at-bats (.380) while driving in 13 runs.
Trying to halt the skid Friday, Ostrander went 4-for-5 with a triple and two runs scored. Baumgardt added a 3-for-5 day with one run scored.
Jacob Jablonski contributed a three-run homer (5) in the top of the second, matching a three-run bottom of the first. From that point though, it was all Voyagers.
Nathan Hemmerling (L, 4-1) took his first loss of the season, serving up 11 hits and nine runs in his 5-1/3 innings of work. Heavily overworked in the bullpen, the Chukars were forced to use Tuesday starter Gary Grosjean in the eighth inning. He posted an uplifting performance, retiring the side in order and striking out a pair.
The Chukars have two more games to right the ship and build some positive momentum heading into the second half. Saturday’s showdown with the Voyagers is set for a 7 p.m. first pitch.
Current PBL standings
1. Oakland Ballers (34-11)
2. Missoula PaddleHeads (31-15)
3. Yuba-Sutter High Wheelers
4. Boise Hawks (28-18)
T5. Idaho Falls Chukars (26-19)
T5. Ogden Raptors (26-19)
7. Rocky Mountain Vibes (22-22)
8. Grand Junction Jackalopes (21-25)
9. Billings Mustangs (18-28)
10. Glacier Range Riders (16-30)
11. Great Falls Voyagers (13-33)
12. Colorado Springs Sky Sox (9-35)
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