Jackalopes Win Walk-Off, Shootout over Idaho Falls
PL Grand Junction Jackalopes

Jackalopes Win Walk-Off, Shootout over Idaho Falls

July 26, 2025 - Pioneer League (PL)
Grand Junction Jackalopes News Release


The Grand Junction Jackalopes recorded their first walk-off in the Frank Gonzales era on a 17-16 victory over the Idaho Falls Chukars on Friday night.

Jackalopes starter Zach Zaborowski gave up seven runs to the Chukars in the first two innings, giving Idaho Falls their largest lead of the night right off the bat.

Mason Minzey broke the shutout off of Nathan Hemmerling in the bottom of the second inning with a solo home run to left.

The Jackalopes tied up the game with a six-run rally in the third, all of which came off of Hemmerling, who couldn't record an out before being pulled early for Jake Dixon, the left-handed Chukars reliever. Evan Scavotto and Mason Minzey hit back-to-back home runs, with Minzey's solo home run tying up the game for the first time in Friday's contest.

Zaborowski failed the shutdown attempt in the top of the four, giving up the second lead of the game to Idaho Falls on a five-run rally. The Jackalopes starter was pulled with two outs in the top of the fourth, where Aydan Alger gave up a solo home run to Gabe Vasquez, his second on the night, but then recorded the final out on the second and final batter he faced that inning.

The Jackalopes responded in the bottom of the fourth, getting three of the five runs back, but Alger, much like Zaborowski in the fourth, gave up another homer to Trevor Rogers and four more on the board for the Chukars.

The Chukars had a 16-10 lead after five, following a shutdown frame by Luke Hempel, leaving the bases loaded, and then a scoreless sixth by Steven Ordorica to hold the line.

Meanwhile, Tristan Wolf and Will Smith from the Jackalopes bullpen limited the Chukars offense, who after the four-run fifth never scored for the rest of the game.

The Jackalopes cut their six-run deficit in half, scoring two off of Ordorica and one off of Julien Hernandez, who left two stranded to finish the seventh inning.

Alec Rodriguez got into early trouble in the top of the eighth, walking two straight and recording an out before Reese Miller took over, gave up a baserunner, but left the bases loaded for the Chukars to finish the Chukars' third shutout inning.

Nicolo Pinazzi came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth. He faced three batters and recorded no outs, having to leave the game after Spence Coffman got the Jackalopes within one on a two-run single up the middle.

Rob Hughes was the sixth and final reliever out of Troy Percival's bullpen, who gave up the game-tying RBI single to Evan Scavotto that scored Coffman to tie up the game at 16-16, leaving the go-ahead run stranded at third and struck out Kendall Foster to finish the eighth.

Reese Miller threw a perfect top of the ninth, setting up the Jackalopes offense with a chance to win it in the ninth. Hughes returned to the mound, giving up a leadoff single to Isaac Nunez on the first pitch. Diego Aragon bunted the go-ahead run into scoring position for the first and only out recorded that inning. Then, Zeb Roos was intentionally walked to give the Chukars a chance at an inning-ending double play,

CONTINUED For information or inquires, please reach out to info@GJJackalopes.com or call the office at 970-255-7625 For more information, please visit GJJackalopes.com but Spence Coffman got aboard on the next pitch with a soft single to right on the first pitch.

Alex Pimentel, the designated hitter, came up to the plate with bases loaded and worked his way into a full count. The payoff pitch by Hughes missed high, and Pimentel's plate discipline allowed Nunez to score the winning run for the first walk- off of the 2025 Jackalopes season.

The 17-16 victory tied the series at 2-2, the first time in three series where the Jackalopes have won multiple games in a series against the Chukars. Reese Miller recorded his second win of 2025, Rob Hughes his fourth loss of the season.

Zaborowski received a no-decision for the first time in his career after finishing his 11th start in the fourth with 11 earned runs on his final line.

There were a total of 10 home runs in the game, six for the Chukars, who have scored 16 runs exactly in back-to-back nights, but dropped the Friday night game. The seven- run deficit the game started with marks the third time the Jackalopes have tied their biggest comeback of the season, all of which have occurred in the past three weeks.

The Jackalopes will see the Chukars two more times and will need to win both to take the series. Mosaic Day featuring an appearance by former MLB pitcher Matt Lindstrom will take place at Suplizio Field on Saturday night at 6:35 PM MT.

Check out the Grand Junction Jackalopes Statistics



Pioneer League Stories from July 26, 2025


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