But a rainout and two losses to last-place Great Falls have the Raptors too far behind the league leaders for first-half contention as Ogden returns to Lindquist Field for a homestand Tuesday through Saturday against second-place Missoula to conclude the first half.

The Raptors (23-18) remained six games behind Oakland and Missoula before their finale Thursday at Idaho Falls was nixed by rain, not to be made up. That half-game began to loom large, especially as a rain-suspended Friday game resumed Saturday with Ogden taking a close loss to Great Falls (9-33).

Ogden then fell in a back-and-forth battle Sunday afternoon, dropping the Raptors at least 6 1/2 games behind second-place Missoula with six games remaining, and 8 1/2 games behind first-place Oakland (32-10).

SUN: GREAT FALLS 9, OGDEN 8

Damian Stone and Connor Bagnieski each struck out in the top of the ninth with Cole Jordan standing on third base as the tying run, and pitcher Wyatt Cameron shut the door on a rare Great Falls series victory Sunday afternoon.

The Raptors led 3-0 early on a Dylan Wilkinson two-RBI double in the second. But Great Falls broke out the big sticks with five homers to ultimately win the game.

Ogden starter Eli Elliott surrendered a three-run homer to Jeff Nicol in the fourth to tie it 3-3 and a solo shot to AJ Fritz in the sixth for a 4-4 game. Kyler Stancato took over for Elliott there and Roman Kuntz tagged him with a solo homer to put GF ahead 5-4.

The Raptors appeared to take control with Jordan hitting a two-run single in the seventh and Elliott Good driving in two more on a double for an 8-5 lead. But Ogden reliever Ethan Stephens couldn’t hold that margin, giving up two-run homers to Tommy Specht and Anthony Swenda for the home team’s ultimate 9-8 win.

SAT: OGDEN 8, GREAT FALLS 2

Cole Stasio picked up his second pitching win, allowing two runs on four hits over six innings while striking out six and walking zero, for a seven-inning victory Saturday night. Christian Ciuffetelli struck out two to pitch around two walks in a scoreless seventh to close it.

Ogden outhit Great Falls 16-4 in the shortened game. Chris Sargent’s three-run homer in the fifth started a five-run inning to give the Raptors control with a 7-1 lead. Connor Bagnieski hit 3 for 4.

FRI: GREAT FALLS 6, OGDEN 5

In a game suspended by rain with a 5-5 score in the sixth inning Friday, Great Falls plated a run on a Tommy Specht sacrifice fly in the eighth inning as the game resumed Saturday evening to take the series opener.

Great Falls first baseman Frank Podkul hit a third-inning grand slam off Ogden starter Chase Chatman to put the Voyagers up 5-0 early. Dylan Wilkinson drove in two runs in the fourth inning and another on a single in the fifth, the latter tying the game 5-5. Raptors catcher Chris Sargent hit 3 for 4 in the loss.

Nico Saltaformaggio allowed zero hits in three innings but took the loss on the unearned run in the eighth, with the error his own. He allowed only two baserunners over three frames (a seventh-inning error and an eighth-inning walk) while striking out four.

Ogden outhit Great Falls 12-4 in the defeat.