For the first time in the 2023 season, the Ogden Raptors have lost a series as they try to wrap up a division title down the home stretch of the first half.

Ogden traveled to Kalispell, Montana, for its first-ever matchup against second-year Pioneer League franchise Glacier to take on the Range Riders, losing both Monday and Tuesday in close contests.

Through Tuesday, Boise had also lost two straight to Grand Junction, keeping Ogden 3 1/2 games ahead in first place of the South Division with 11 games left in the half entering Wednesday.

RANGE RIDERS 12, RAPTORS 9

Ogden's run of four straight games with a grand slam (with Logan Williams hitting three of them) ended Monday in a series-opening loss in front of a record crowd of 2,924 fans at Glacier Bank Park for the fledgling franchise.

The Range Riders (22-14) slugged three homers in the first five innings but trailed into the seventh inning. The Raptors (23-14) led 9-7 at the seventh-inning stretch when, after a Juan Teixeira two-run double in the first, Ogden small-balled its way to a lead with RBI singles, RBI groundouts and scoring via error.

But Glacier scored five runs in the final three innings against pitchers Marshall Shill, Jon Rice, John Kelly and Adam Scoggins. Despite holding the game to a 9-9 tie through seven, avoiding a bases-loaded disaster by only allowing a run via walk and another via wild pitch, it still came apart in the eighth inning.

The home team took the lead on a Crews Taylor RBI single and Sam Linscott added an RBI double to win the game.

Foster Pace, fresh off the ineligible list, started for Ogden and allowed seven runs over five innings.

RANGE RIDERS 2, RAPTORS 1

Nick Zegna out-aced Pablo Arevalo on the Fourth of July, clinching the three-game series for Glacier.

Kingston Liniak singled in a run for Glacier in the second and Juan Teixeira singled in Reese Alexiades to answer in the third.

The difference came in the fifth when Jackson Raper hit a solo shot off Arevalo, a score that proved to be the game-winner for the Range Riders.

Arevalo took the loss on the mound despite giving up two runs on five hits over five innings. Zegna allowed one run on six hits over six innings.

Riley Ottesen (two innings) and Brandon McCabe (one inning) did the job from the Ogden bullpen, allowing one hit and striking out three over the final three innings.

Ogden's only chance to tie or take the lead came in the seventh when shortstop Sal Gozzo doubled with two outs and Cam Phelts followed with a walk, but Reese Alexiades struck out to end the inning.

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