Chukars Dominate in Game Five

Chukars Dominate in Game Five 

Gotto, Halsema, and many others shine in team win 

Max Stapleton, @Max_stapleton38

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho - The Chukars were looking to bounce back after a tough loss on Saturday evening, taking on the Grand Junction Jackalopes at Melaleuca Field. 

Dylan Gotto was on the bump starting the game for Idaho Falls, while Frank Racioppo got the start for Grand Junction. 

The scoring started early, and continued throughout the game for the Chukars. CJ Dunn drove in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly, and it was later followed by the first two-RBI single from Mark Herron Jr. Idaho Falls added one more run onto the box score in the second inning, when Tyler Wyatt blasted a leadoff home run to make it a 4-0 game. 

The Chukars continued to pour it on in the third inning, when Herron Jr again blasted a two-RBI single to make it 6-0. 

Grand Junction scored their first runs of the game in the top of the fourth, when Ron Washington Jr smacked a double down the line that scored Anthony Ray. At the end of four innings, Idaho Falls was on top 6-1. 

The boys in red didn’t settle with a five run lead, instead they tallied two more on in the fifth thanks to a big blast from Trevor Halsema. His blast made it an 8-1 game. 

After Joe Johnson got a solo shot in the top of the 6th inning, the Chukars continued to fight back and take the Jackalopes out of this game. They scored three in the sixth, mostly thanks to a 2-RBI single from Michael Kohn. They also scored three more in the eighth on an RBI triple from Halsema, and an RBI groundout from Mark Herron Jr. 

At the end of the day, the Chukars would dominate by a score of 14-3, and change the series to a 3-2 Grand Junction lead. 

There were a ton of players that deserve player of the game highlights for Idaho Falls in this one. Michael John went 4-5, with a double, three runs, and two RBI’s. Trevor Halsema finished his night a single shy of the cycle, while he tallied three RBI’s. Tyler Wyatt and Bryce Brown both had three base hits, while Eduardo Acosta reached base in four of his five plate appearances. 

The Player of the Game went to Dylan Gotto, however, as he shut down one of the top offenses in the Pioneer League. Gotto worked an efficient seven innings on 69 pitches. He only allowed one earned run on five hits, and he struck out three in the process. 

The Chukars will look to end their homestand with a win on Sunday Afternoon, and try to tie up this series at 3-3 before heading on the road. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00, and the gates will open up at 1:00.