MISSOULA — At the beginning of the night it looked like rain might ruin Wednesday’s Pioneer League Baseball game between the Idaho Falls Chukars and Missoula Osprey, but the sun poked out from under the clouds just before first pitch and never went away.
The Chukars came into the contest as the team with the best record in the Pioneer League, but the Osprey earned a 4-3 walk-off win to take the series from the Chukars.
In the second inning, the Osprey gave away the first run of the game on a passed ball from catcher Luvin Valbuena.
But the Chukar bats woke up in the seventh inning. Brady McConnell doubled down the left field line to lead off the inning. Juan Negret followed with a double off the left field wall to score McConnell and take a 2-0 lead.
The Osprey got a run back in the eighth after Spencer Brickhouse drove in Cesar Garcia on a bloop single.
To start the ninth, Dominic Canzone doubled to right, and Valbuena walked. David Sanchez next came to the plate and singled to center field. Idaho Falls’ Isaiah Henry bobbled the ball, allowing two Missoula runs to score and tie the game at 3-3.
After an intentional walk to Cesar Garcia, Tristen Carranza doubled home the go-ahead run to beat the first-place Chukars with a walk-off win.
