JOSH LEERSSEN TOSSES FIRST NINE-INNING COMPLETE GAME SHUTOUT IN CHUKARS INDEPENDENT ERA
A complete game shutout, a triple play and a four-hit day. Friday night fever was in full swing for the Chukars in Ogden.
JOSH LEERSSEN TOSSES FIRST NINE-INNING COMPLETE GAME SHUTOUT IN CHUKARS INDEPENDENT ERA
A complete game shutout, a triple play and a four-hit day. Friday night fever was in full swing for the Chukars in Ogden.
On Friday night at Lindquist Field, Josh Leerssen was not just impressive, but completely dismantled the best offense in the Pioneer League, with the Chukars 4-0 win against the Ogden Raptors.
Leerssen single-handedly tossed the first shutout in over a year, dating back to the Chukars’ 2-0 win in Boise against the Hawks on May 21 of 2025. There have been just six total shutouts by the Chukars in their six seasons of Independent play, with two in the last four seasons.
Idaho Falls would take the first lead of the day in the third inning, when C DeMarckus Smiley scored on an error after a 2B Garret Ostrander single. OF Tyler Wyatt would then single in SS Ty Dooley to give the Chuks a 2-0 lead.
The defense was rock-solid behind Leerssen, turning a double play in the second and C Drew Stengren has thrown out an attempted stolen base in three consecutive games when he caught Kyler Stancato to end the fourth.
The defensive highlight of the day, and possibly the season, came in the sixth when 2B Garret Ostrander turned a triple play. With runners on first and second, he caught a line drive off of the bat of Carmine Lane, stepped on second base and before any runner could realize what had happened, he tossed the ball on to first to secure the triple play.
That same frame would see Idaho Falls add another pair to the scoreboard, with a two-RBI single of SS Ty Dooley. He would enjoy his first four-hit performance of the season.
As for Leerssen, the Sandy Springs, Georgia native’s final line would read, nine complete innings, seven hits allowed, no runs, one walk and seven strikeouts. All seven hits for Ogden were of the single variety, as they did not record an extra-base hit.
The Raptors were unable to gain any momentum, stranding just five as Leerssen facing four or less batters in eight innings, and facing the minimum in five frames.
The Chukars have split the first four games in Ogden to open the second half of Pioneer League Play. Game five of the series will be played on Saturday night at 6:30 PM MT, with LHP Seth Spencer toeing the rubber.
After the series concludes on Sunday, the Chukars return to Idaho Falls for a six-game homestand against the Missoula PaddleHeads and Great Falls Voyagers, respectively.
For ticket information, call (208)522-5363 or visit www.ifchukars.com.
All Chukars games can be heard on 980AM, 98.7 FM KSPZ the SportsZone, or streamed online on the HomeTeam Network.