Chuks Sweep Double Header in Dramatic Fashion
July 17, 2025 - Pioneer League (PL)
Idaho Falls Chukars News Release
IDAHO FALLS, ID - The Idaho Falls Chukars (29-20) and The Ogden Raptors (26-23) met for a pair of seven inning games to open up the second half of the season after Tuesday night's game was postponed due to rain. In game one the Chukars trailed wire to wire but tied the game down to their final out in the seventh before winning the contest in a Knockout Round. In game two the two teams were starved for runs and the Chukars would end up rallying to tie the game with a two run blast in the final inning to force a second knockout round which Vasquez would win again for Idaho Falls.
Chukars starting pitcher Gary Grosjean tossed a complete game, throwing all seven innings striking out six and allowing just two earned runs. He is the first Chuk to record a CG in 2025.
Offensively for Idaho Falls Tyler Wyatt was out of this world going 3-3 with a single, double and home run out of the cleanup spot. Trevor Rogers also homered, finishing game one 1-3 at the plate.
The Chuks trailed 2-0 after the first but managed to claw one back in the home half of the opening inning to make it 2-1 with six innings to play.
A pair of unearned runs for the Raptors in the top of the sixth gave the visitors a 4-1 lead with an inning and a half to play. Idaho Falls made it a two-run game when Wyatt homered in the bottom of the sixth as the game was set to come down to the wire.
The Chuks made it 4-3 with two outs in the seventh when Eddie Pelc sacrificed Johnny Pappas home. The Chuks would then load the bases where a wild pitch from the usually stout Raptors closer Nik Cardinal scored the tying run to make it 4-4.
In the knockout round Gabe Vasquez homered three times in the first 45 seconds to beat out Raptors slugger Chris Sargent by a score of 3-2.
In game two Chukars starter Shane Spencer went the distance allowing 3 earned runs while striking out two to earn the quality start but he unfortunately took the loss to make his record 2-1 as a Chukar.
The Raptors scored a pair of runs in the second and added a lone tally in the third to make it 3-0 at the halfway point of the seven inning contest.
The Chukars were hamstringed by three double plays on offense, all of them coming with no outs and men on base. Hitting with men on base has been a problem area over their last 10 games.
Idaho Falls' first run came in the 6th inning on an RBI single from Thomas McCaffrey after Simon Baumgardt doubled to start the inning.
The Chuks tied the game in the bottom of the last inning thanks to a massive two-run home run off the bat of Thomas McCaffrey who had all of the Chukars first three RBI.
Vasquez would clutch up again easily winning the knockout round to seal the double header sweep!
The Chukars and Raptors meet again on Thursday night at 7:05 with Garrett Van Deventer expected to start for Idaho Falls.
Pioneer League Stories from July 17, 2025
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